Basinas considers retirement?

The word flying around the Mediterranean is that Euro 2004-winner Angelos Basinas is considering his retirement from the national team. The catalyst for the sudden change of heart? Apparently the 32 year-old wasn’t too happy with ol’ Otto omitting him from the starting line-up
against Latvia, instead choosing to hand 23 year-old Olympiakos man Avraam Papadpopoulos his competitive debut for the Ethinki – he didn’t disappoint.

Despite being sworn in by King Otto as the successor to the thrown of captain vacated by the legendary Theos Zagorakis after his retirement from football, the latest personnel change – following the international retirements of Antonis Nikopolidis and Paraskevas Antzas after Euro 2008 – is an enforced one. Is this part of a gradual phasing out process of the ‘old-guard’? It seems to be and the sudden demotion of Basinas is perhaps a powerful symbol of Rehhagel’s intentions more than anything else.

In truth, Basinas had a poor Euro 2008 and his legs simply aren’t carrying him as they were in Portugal four years ago, where he assumed the role of “destroyer” in a highly successful Greek midfield. Who can forget his performance against France, where he arguably eclipsed Zagorakis in some aspects of the match?

What remains is a hollow shell of that tenacious, tough-tackling midfielder who could deliver a decent set-piece (see Euro 2004 final, Charisteas goal). We have now a man who seems to drift in and out of games, conceding possession, clearly devoid of pace and now seeing his dead-ball abilities and distribution suffer.

The time is right for Basinas to retire gracefully after an outstanding career on both the domestic and international scene. Unfortunately, some people don’t seem to share my opinion.