The Greece manager understands the importance of reaching Germany – in the semis, they must beat Kazakhstan
(Image credit: Getty Images)
No, you didn’t dream it, Greece really did win Euro 2004. Yet since missing out on the past two editions, it would be unthinkable for the Ethniki not to be in Germany for the 20th anniversary of their finest football moment, according to gaffer Gus Poyet.
Two years ago, Poyet took charge of a team that hadn’t qualified for a tournament since the 2014 World Cup, swiftly steering them to top spot in their Nations League group and securing a play-off place for the Euros. Just as well, given the horror qualifying group they subsequently found themselves in.
“When we saw we’d been drawn with both France and the Netherlands, it was lucky we’d already won our Nations League group and had the second option,” Poyet told FourFourTwo.
Greece did draw 2-2 with France, however, also defeating the Republic of Ireland home and away, to confirm themselves as play-off favourites.
“Managing at international level was all new for me, but I can’t complain with how it’s gone so far – things are moving in the right direction,” said the former Brighton and Sunderland manager, who’d previously worked in Greece as coach of AEK Athens.
“The main objective has been to qualify for the Euros and bring people to the stadium – Greece had lost the connection with the people, but for our last game it was pretty much full, which was fantastic.”
There’s been much discussion about the need to be there this summer, as a fitting way of marking the anniversary of 2004.
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“People have been talking a lot about that, and obviously it will be so important,” says the Uruguayan. “Greece need to go to a big competition – from 2014, there have been no World Cups, no Euros. It’s been 10 years.”
Greece as champions at Euro 2004 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Their play-off semi-final foes in Athens are surprise package Kazakhstan, in with a shot of making a major tournament for the first time since joining UEFA back in 2002, despite being situated in Asia – capital city Astana is six hours ahead of UK time.
The Hawks even came within one game of reaching this summer’s event automatically. Having beaten Northern Ireland twice, to add to a 3-2 defeat of Denmark, they needed a victory in their last qualifier against Slovenia, only for the hosts to pinch it in the 86th minute.
“The pressure on us to beat Kazakhstan is massive – it’s a must-win and there are no excuses,” said Poyet. If they triumph, they are away to Georgia or Luxembourg in the final. “That would be tough,” he conceded.
“You play the semi-final on the Thursday night and don’t know where you’re heading next, only five days later. The trip, the travel, it’s complicated, but the main one is Kazakhstan. I’ve watched their games and have my notes on them.”
There’s another incentive for Greece to get through, too. At the Euros, they’d play rivals Turkey first up in Dortmund – their maiden meeting at a major tournament.
“That draw gives us a little something extra,” said Poyet, whose current contract is due to expire on March 31. “Knowing that if we qualify, we’d play Turkey, that’s amazing. Starting a Euros with that derby? Imagine it...”
Dortmund’s police force have already been imagining it. Anyone know what the German for ‘Come on Kazakhstan’ is?
Chris joined FourFourTwo in 2015 and has reported from more than 20 countries, in places as varied as Ivory Coast and the Arctic Circle. He's interviewed Pele, Zlatan and Santa Claus (it's a long story), as well as covering the World Cup, AFCON and the Clasico. He previously spent 10 years as a newspaper journalist, and completed the 92 in 2017.
