Ioannis Kostis is at the gates of Olympiacos and the Greek websites are already dealing extensively with his case. In fact, sport24.gr made a great tribute to the history of the young international midfielder of Nea Salamina.
Read the tribute:
The transfer of Ioannis Kostis from Olympiakos went through waves, but in the coming days it is estimated that it will end positively. The 19-year-old Cypriot midfielder (born on March 17, 2000) is expected to sign a five-year contract with the "red and whites", after the completion of the obligations of the national team of Cyprus for the Euro 2020 qualifiers. Sport24.gr spoke with Giorgos Tsoukkas, technical director of the academies of Nea Salamina, who was the one who discovered him from Ormidia in the 2011-2012 season and took him with him to the Cypriot team.
Tsoukkas refers to the loss of Kostis' father, a shocking story. How he discovered the 19-year-old international media, the pressures he exerted to sign a professional contract, his rivalry with the federal coaches of Cyprus who did not believe in Ioannis and characterized him as short and weak, but also his family who may have been poor, but proud. The ban on alcohol, overnight stays, machines and anything else could endanger his health.
This is the story of the imminent acquisition of Olympiacos:
"I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS SHORT AND WEAK"
The little one was playing in a team called Ormidia. It was an academy. We are talking about 2010-2011. I had seen him in a game and then I approached his father and mother. I watched him every Saturday. Our game was over and I was sitting to watch him. At the end of the season, I go to their house, I agreed with his parents and the little one came to us, in Nea Salamina. We started together then.
John and two other children stood out very much. He was petite. I have always liked to choose small but quality players. In the year 2011-2012 we lost only one game, in the final. The following year he found us at U14. When he was 15 years old he made his debut in the U21 team of Nea Salamina. Its course was upward. I had problems with the respective federal team, because I always told them that he is a player who cannot be left out of the national teams. They told me that he was short, that he was thin and they did not call him.
But I always went with him and we watched all the national team games. Always. I would go and pick him up from school to go watch national games. Giannakis Okkas took him to the national team when U17 qualified for the Elite Round. He was the first to call him. When he saw him he was impressed and said to me: "This player does not exist…". I had Kostis and other children very down to earth. They were children of part-time parents, not rich. Kostis' family is poor, but also proud.
"TO LOSE TRAINING? ONLY WITH 40 FEVER "
I forbade him to take the slightest risk. Not to go fishing, not to hunt so as not to slip, not to spend the night, not to go to clubs, not to ride a motorcycle. To lose training he had to have 40 fevers. I always said it was the most modern eighteen. You can find his vertical pass in a few players. When he takes the ball, he always sees the opposing goalkeeper and not that of his own team.
He is a player who will change your game. He always played with older people, who were more husky. He had to catch them with his mind and he managed not to see the difference. He was overcoming the weaknesses he had. He can play easily as a ten, for me this is his natural position. When the ball is lost in the transition, the transfer from attack to defense is incredible. He will come back and mark. The most modern ten you can find.
Kostis had talent. And the talented, however, need the right foundation and to put things in the right direction. I think I put a small stone. I think I kept him away from what he shouldn't have. And Kostis and other children, I kept them down. Respect the last player of the team. For example, training was over and the best would have to collect the balls and cones. I did not give anyone the right to feel that one player is superior to the other.
"SUFFERENT HEART ATTACK, IT WAS NEXT TO HIM"
When he lost his father, I was at their house the night before. I left later. John went into his room and his parents into theirs. The little boy sent a message to his mother and asked her to leave him, so that in the morning he could go with his father for mushrooms. To pick mushrooms. He answered in the negative. He sent again, she gave the same answer.
He sent her a message for the third time and his mother replied: "Sleep. It's late. If your coach learns something, he will kill you. "Don't ask me again." I do not know what that was. Instinct to say it? It was the first time he had listened to what I had told him. In the morning he followed his father and it was the day he lost him. While picking mushrooms, she lost him. He suffered a heart attack. A little later he cooled down. A helicopter came, his brother… It was morning.
His father's funeral was on Tuesday if I'm not mistaken. The little one wanted to come for training the next day. Insisted. We had a derby on Saturday and he wanted to play. We put the picture of his father on a small table, kept a minute of silence, laid flowers. His father loved the academy very much, he was attached to it. Both he and Kostis' mother. They were invisible heroes. They were the pioneers in everything we did.
"KNEELED, CLOSE HIS EYES AND DEDICATED IT TO HIM"
His mother told me that since she wants her son to play, let her play. He put a collar. I tell you and I shudder. He took the ball under the center, passed two players, made a shot - flare and scored for 1-0. He looked up at the sky, knelt down, closed his eyes and dedicated the goal to his father. This goal and the celebration will accompany us forever. I am proud. A child who had a difficult time, but came from a proud family. He has managed to do what he does with his sword, his tsabouka and his magic.
His father worked as a builder and his mother as a maid. She now works in schools as a cleaner. I came into conflict with many people about Kostis. In Nea Salamina I had suggested that they make professional contracts with 15-year-olds. I used to say about Ioannis that he is a player of millions. I was told not to say big words. When you are entitled to a child who has gone through so much, you feel very happy.
"NO LOAN WILL BE GIVEN, YOU WILL WORSHIP HIS VERTICAL PASSES"
You will love the vertical passes of Ioannis. I do not think he will come to Olympiakos and be loaned out. It may seem excessive to you what I will tell you, but I believe that the little one, in the role of the ten, may make the fans of Olympiacos forget Fortounis as well. There are many things that affect of course. He will want to feel safe and adapt. He is not well educated, he has learned the hard way and with me I think he got out of a very difficult school, successfully.
I want to say that I had the support of the board of directors of Nea Salamina, led by George Konstantinou, but also Michalis Melemenis and Andreas Ioannidis. Not much money for Nea Salamina. They believed in the plan, we built for far and this vision of five years ago has begun to take shape. Olympiacos had expressed interest two years ago for another of our players, Thomas Nikolaou, left full back. He had even come to Renti, but the transfer did not proceed.
"I GAVE HIM THE NAME EL MAGO"
The rich president is not here. They are all a company, everyone puts as much money as they can. One does not decide. It is a matter of time so that soon 2-3 more children will occupy us in the future. Savvas Poursaitidis believed in Kostis, I must say. He gave him opportunities and he justified him. The little one gave him what he had to give him and Poursaitidis recognized his talent. A large part of the whole situation is credited, the coach, who gave him the opportunity to play in the first team.
Maria Kafatari, in charge of the office staff for eleven years, was also next to the children, Kostis and the rest. With multifaceted support and assistance. Also Christodoulos Christodoulou, now assistant coach in the men's team of Nea Salamina, was the first one I trusted for Kostis for U21. The youngster was then 16 years old and scored 21 goals in the U13 league. He had told me: "He is very thin and short, coach, I do not think he can cope with these beasts." And I answered him in one word: "Trust me". And one last thing I would like to say. Seeing his quality and talent from the first moment he came to the team, I gave him the nickname "El Mago".
Source: Sigmalive