Yannis Anastasiou

Bericht door **Kowalczyk** » di mar 22, 2005 9:28 am

This man did not have his own thread yet. Here it is, but we may soon be discussing him in the 'Former Players' thread. VI.nl, the website of Voetbal International magazine, reports exclusively that Anastacia's contract (which expires at season's end) will not be extended and that this is his last season at Ajax.

I suppose we won't really miss him as a football player, but he sure is an important figure in the squad. He's the oldest and he's also very popular with his team-mates. He does a lot of important talking, almost like an assistant coach. I guess this is the right decision by the club, but I once again want to underscore that we need some powerful personalities with experience.

K.

Philippe · Bericht door **Philippe** » di mar 22, 2005 1:18 pm

A nice guy, clever and smart. Last time I saw him, against Den Bosch, he was the one who showed the way for the first goal. a worthy substitute I would say.

SE6Ajacied · Bericht door **SE6Ajacied** » wo mar 23, 2005 7:42 pm

[a worthy substitute I would say]

Yeah, amen to that. Last time I saw him against Roda in September he looked the only one likely to score and he did. I think apart from his age and experience we need to keep him to score against his ex team-mates - that's three in three games unless I'm mistaken - imagine what'll happen if he plays for someone else against us :sad: .

Seriously though Kowalczyk is right. We haven't got that many experienced players on the books at the moment and the players do need one of their own (as opposed to the coaching staff) to look up to in terms of age and stuff. Not surprised if he goes though.

Philippe · Bericht door **Philippe** » ma apr 18, 2005 3:18 pm

As I just said on the Grygera thread :X , great pass from behind ! That really was a smart move.

Bericht door **Kowalczyk** » ma apr 18, 2005 4:50 pm

I totally agree.

He didn't cost us much and he's nothing too special, but he's been useful on more than just one occasion. This was one of 'em. Great pass. Not every player would have rocketed it forward like he did. I'm glad he did whack it forward... :D

K.

Blind3 · Bericht door **Blind3** » ma apr 18, 2005 6:41 pm

I agree about Anastasiou. I saw his pass and I was reminded of his other subtle moves,like taking a pass on his chest and thrusting it forward(i.e. the PSV game last year).Great to see a guy have the nerve to chance such a move.When they work,like yesterday, a thing of beauty.

AsgAarD_xxx · Bericht door **AsgAarD_xxx** » vr apr 22, 2005 9:15 am

We just don't have a luck for players from Greece... Do you remember Nikos Machlas? He was one of the best players in Eredivisie, but when he joined us he was not as good as in Vitesse... The same thing is in Yannis Anastasiou- in Roda he was very dangerous striker, but in Ajax he isn't... I don't really know what is the reason of that, but I hope, that Charisteas will not take their example...

Dubbel · Bericht door **Dubbel** » vr apr 22, 2005 9:23 am

AsgAarD_xxx schreef:We just don't have a luck for players from Greece... Do you remember Nikos Machlas? He was one of the best players in Eredivisie, but when he joined us he was not as good as in Vitesse... The same thing is in Yannis Anastasiou- in Roda he was very dangerous striker, but in Ajax he isn't... I don't really know what is the reason of that, but I hope, that Charisteas will not take their example...

One can only guess but this may be caused by the difference between playing 4-4-2 at a sub-top team and playing 4-3-3 at a (presumed) top-team. I still have hope for Charisteas, he's better then the other two you mention but not nearly as good as Psv strikers like Farfan and Robert. :sad:

AsgAarD_xxx · Bericht door **AsgAarD_xxx** » vr apr 22, 2005 9:31 am

Dubbel schreef:One can only guess but this may be caused by the difference between playing 4-4-2 at a sub-top team and playing 4-3-3 at a (presumed) top-team.

Hmmm, I don't think it is the main reason, because in Eredivisie almost every team play 4-3-3... It must be something different... For sure, it it not the problem with accomodation to dutch lifestyle, because (as I wrote earlier) Machlas and Anastasiou was great in their past clubs...

Dubbel · Bericht door **Dubbel** » vr apr 22, 2005 9:50 am

Correct me if I'm wrong but Vitesse with Machlas played 4-4-2, Roda played with Anas and Kone in a 4-4-2 as well.

Philippe · Bericht door **Philippe** » vr apr 22, 2005 6:29 pm

I think that sadly we have not seen enough of Anastasiou. Maybe he could have helped used win if he had come sooner in the WII game. He is very clever.

SE6Ajacied · Bericht door **SE6Ajacied** » vr apr 22, 2005 7:47 pm

Well said that man. He has his limits but he's an honest grafter and every team needs one of those. I for one hope that he stays.

Annaastassiouu :headbang:

aveslacker · Bericht door **aveslacker** » za apr 23, 2005 10:08 am

SE6Ajacied schreef:Well said that man. He has his limits but he's an honest grafter and every team needs one of those. I for one hope that he stays.

Annaastassiouu :headbang:

And he is a super nice guy to boot.

Philippe · Bericht door **Philippe** » zo apr 24, 2005 5:40 pm

I am not sure of who "has limits" ... Luckily he was there to save Ajax again in the final minutes :bis:

SE6Ajacied · Bericht door **SE6Ajacied** » zo apr 24, 2005 5:45 pm

told ya...I still hope he stays (are you reading this Danny B??) :D

Bericht door **Kowalczyk** » zo apr 24, 2005 8:44 pm

SE6Ajacied schreef:told ya...I still hope he stays (are you reading this Danny B??) :D

I agree. He's not great but he never cost us much, he did not demand outrageous wages, he's always positive, his team-mates love him and he's done the business on a few very important moments. Today sure as hell was one of those moments. Also: the real high quality strikers will not accept a role as the third man. Yannis will. Babel and Charisteas are #1 and #2 - Yannis is actually a very good player for a third man.

It can't be too expensive to renew his deal for one season. I say let's do it.

K.

jamcocteau · Bericht door **jamcocteau** » zo apr 24, 2005 9:37 pm

Ko

have to agree with you - dont think it would cost much to extend his contract for another season. The number of times he has came on and scored the winner or supplied the telling pass for the winner has been countless now.

Not the most gifted of players, I agree, but he is one of the more professional in the squad in terms of attitude etc. Remeber the pre-season training he was the fittest one on the first day back so obviously takes pride in what he does. Honestly think some of the younger players could benefit from him being around in a mentor style role.

Also believe he enjoys playing for Ajax and that is nice to see.

So come on Ajax give him another year.

Per · Bericht door **Per** » ma apr 25, 2005 3:43 pm

This is such an interesting turn in the Yannis story.

He's always been somewhat of a gasp....but now more than ever do we need a player like him.

As I posted in another thread I think it is likely that a purchase of Markus ROsenberg is up. I think Yannis can provide stability and good advise to the newcomer and also - as mentioned - he does his part on the pitch.

In these times, that is something that cannot be said for everyone!

aveslacker · Bericht door **aveslacker** » ma apr 25, 2005 4:21 pm

Πρεππει να μεινει ο Γιαννις!
(proudly joining the Save Yannis movement)

SE6Ajacied · Bericht door **SE6Ajacied** » ma apr 25, 2005 5:58 pm

Πρεππει να μεινει ο Γιαννις!

I'm up for that too, and so's Menno by the looks of his new byline.

Perhaps we can start another petition alongside the get well soon Maxwell??

Seriously, I know this is getting silly but I do rate him as a squad player and he's done the business a number of times for us this season.

Yannis :eusa_dance:

carcajou · Bericht door **carcajou** » ma apr 25, 2005 8:26 pm

SE6Ajacied schreef: Seriously, I know this is getting silly

At last !!!

Reading all those posts I was seriously doubting my ability to rate players.

What then came to my mind was along the line of "Oh man !! Are Chelsea, Milan or Barcelona going to come and steal Yannis from us ??"
I was so afraid.... Then i ducked in the corner of my room in denial. I had been weeping for about an hour when I suddenly realized that Yannis was nothing more than an emergency buy, that he had never been good enough to be fielded regularly even when the other players were shit, that his goal ratio wasn't that good.... to sum it up that he was far from being one the best players of the team and that this Anastasiou buzz was going to vanish as fast as it had come. Then I ate chocolate-topped marshmallows with my favourite drink (i.e. orange juice) and cheered up, soothed :yes: :D

Bericht door **Kowalczyk** » di apr 26, 2005 5:44 am

aveslacker schreef:Πρεππει να μεινει ο Γιαννις!

Interesting... I've had Greek at school. Ancient Greek, which is very different, but I do know how this stuff is pronounced. The spelling of 'Yannis' kind of surprises me. How do the Greeks pronounce his name? As 'Yannis' or as 'Jannis'/'Giannis'? Based on the Greek spelling it seems to be the latter... If I would have to write Yannis in Greek I would have guessed Iαννις...

K.

Philippe · Bericht door **Philippe** » di apr 26, 2005 7:52 am

Carcajou schreef:"Oh man !! Are Chelsea, Milan or Barcelona going to come and steal Yannis from us ??"

Don't worry, they will not steal anyone from us this season (apart from Trablesi?), because we do not have any world class player for sale anymore.
And that's quite a change indeed. So let's change our own habits, and instead of celebrating one of ours leaving to make big money with a "bigger" club, let's celebrate one who may not be the biggest potential, but one who had decisive influence in difficult times and gave all he had to the club.

aveslacker · Bericht door **aveslacker** » di apr 26, 2005 9:15 am

Kowalczyk schreef:
aveslacker schreef:Πρεππει να μεινει ο Γιαννις!
Interesting... I've had Greek at school. Ancient Greek, which is very different, but I do know how this stuff is pronounced. The spelling of 'Yannis' kind of surprises me. How do the Greeks pronounce his name? As 'Yannis' or as 'Jannis'/'Giannis'? Based on the Greek spelling it seems to be the latter... If I would have to write Yannis in Greek I would have guessed Iαννις...

K.

Boring language lesson follows. All those not interested, don't read this post.

It is actually difficult to transliterate from the greek to other languages, because there are several different ways to make the same sound.

In demotic (modern) greek, the 'y' sound can be made by the following letters:

ιο, ια, ιε (emphasis must be over the 'ι' in that last one)
γι, γε or γει

There's probably a few more, but I'm forgetting them. As far as I know, the pronounciation rules for ancient greek are pretty much the same (although I think some forms of ancient greek, like the Ionian/Aolian of Homer, had aspirations, which could have helped form the 'y' sound). As you can see, there is no single letter that makes the 'y' sound - it has to be made in conjunction with other vowels.

The most formal way of writing the name 'Yannis,' which is Greek for John(eng) or Jan(ned), is actually close to what you had: Ιοαννης, pronounced "Yo-AH-nees" (fyi, the second to last letter is eta, 'η', not iota, 'ι', as I had originally written). However, because he is "our" Yannis, I used the familiar form, Γιαννης, which indicates affection and familiarity, sort of like calling someone you know and like Frankie instead of Franklin or something.

And I hope he stays around the club for another year, and that Chel$ki doesn't steal him from us (unless they offer Zlatan-type money :yes: )

Bericht door **Kowalczyk** » di apr 26, 2005 12:09 pm

aveslacker schreef: However, because he is "our" Yannis, I used the familiar form, Γιαννης, which indicates affection and familiarity

I see. But the first letter in Γιαννης is a gamma, right? And there is no such thing as a G-sound in Yannis... (it's not 'Jannis' or 'Giannis' or something). Why does the G-sound disappear? (after that we'll revert to footie...)

K.