Gekas Answers His Portsmouth Critics

In cooperation with Goal.com:

Ostracized at Portsmouth, Theofanis Gekas showed his employers at Fratton Park just what they have been missing over the past few weeks with a superb display for his country on Saturday.

Despite his rather comical predicament at the relegation-threatened Premier League club, where he has yet to play a single minute of football since his loan move from Bayer Leverkusen in January, the striker’s public complaints about his situation were a little ill-timed and unprofessional.

The Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv provided a perfect stage for the former Bochum man to channel his frustrations and challenge his employers in the manner that suits him best; scoring goals for Greece.

With 14 goals in 37 games, following the strike that earned Otto Rehhagel’s side a point in Israel on Saturday evening, Gekas continues to defy his position as a reserve for his club side.

Goals have been difficult to come by for Portsmouth this season and Gekas’ reputation as a goal-poacher – he ended up the Bundesliga’s top scorer in his debut season in Germany – could provide at least a short-term solution to the problem, which is the source of the club’s relegation woes.

His lack of game-time has been perplexing, given his record.
Anyone who dares to use the argument that he is merely a scorer of goals, though, were corrected by Gekas’ superb display during his country’s crucial 1-1 draw away against Israel.

Not only was his goal just before half-time a testament to his intelligent movement and natural ability as a finisher from inside the penalty area, but it also complimented a tireless display of running, pressing and selflessness that would not look out of place in a side scrapping for their top-flight survival.

Clearly there can be no question about the fitness and sharpness of the player now, which again makes the requests for reserve team football as a means of proving himself all the more ludicrous – the 28-year-old can do no more to earn respect and a chance from manager Paul Hart.

Karagounis Value

Gekas might have grabbed the all-important goal that keeps Greece at the top of their World Cup qualifying group, but it was the enigmatic figure of Giorgios Karagounis who was again at the heart of everything positive for the former European champions.

Typically full of running, both on and off the ball, and willing to show an aggression in the tackle in central midfield – as well shouldering the bulk team’s creative duties – the midfielder’s performance was testament to a world class ability that has seen him shine in the UEFA Champions League for his club side Panathinaikos this season.

Just how and why the 32 year-old decided not to continue his career at a higher level than the Greek Super League is astounding, given his continuing level of performance, though his return home certainly hasn’t affected his effectiveness for the national team.

If Liverpool’s Yossi Benayoun was hyped up as virtually Israel’s only attacking threat in the build-up to the match – a suggestion laid to rest by the performance of Ben Sahar – then Karagounis is certainly Greece’s talisman, and has been since their Euro 2004 triumph.

Without him, the stereotypes about their negative, uninspired brand of football might just be realized – though the presence of youngster Vassilis Koutsianikoulis in Rehhagel’s initial squad and the emergence of Sotiris Ninis at Panathinaikos might be seen as long-term solutions.

Tight Finish

Now first in their group only on goal difference, with Switzerland also on ten points, the Greeks face a nervous second half of their qualifying campaign.

They will, initially, be in the box seat when Israel travel to Crete on Wednesday, where some semblance of home advantage should be returned by a strong crowd at the Pankritio Stadium.

Having moved the national team away from the Giorgios Karaiskakis Stadium following a series of disappointing crowds over the past few months, Rehhagel’s men will need to utilise the support of a partisan crowd against an Israel side who perhaps should have won in Tel Aviv.

The likes of Sahar exposed the Greeks for a traditional lack of pace in defence, the ageing but able Traianos Dellas visibly slowing down and perhaps suffering from a lack of consistently high quality football with Cypriot outfit Anorthosis Famagusta.

The problem will not be solved simply by a return to Greece but perhaps, instead, the promotion of one of either Sokratis Papastathopoulos or Vaggelis Moras to the first-team in the place of the Euro 2004 winner. Both have enjoyed successful seasons in Serie A.

Given Rehhagel’s preference for experience and his faith in his usual squad members though, that move seems unlikely.

However, Greece’s sudden susceptibility in defence might prove problematic during what will be their most important game away against Switzerland in September. This may decide which of the two nations secures first place and the automatic qualification for South Africa 2010.

A solution will need to be found in the intervening months – though Wednesday evening at least provides the perfect platform on which to build.