Nikos Dabizas
Encyclopedia
Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas (born 3 August 1973 in Ptolemaida
) is a retired Greek
professional footballer and former Newcastle United
, Leicester City
, Olympiacos and Larissa defender
. He was also in Greece
's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad.
and a professional contract, as he joined Pontioi Verias, as an 18-year-old, where he remained for three consecutive seasons, playing one year on the third division and two in the second. His big career break came when he was 21. He got an offer from Olympiacos, one of the biggest teams in Greece.
He moved to Piraeus
and helped his new team win the Greek championship twice, something they hadn't done in ten years. He also took part in his first UEFA Champions League
games. After three-and-a-half seasons with Olympiacos he received an offer from Newcastle United, which opened him the doors to the English football fields, in the Premier League.
. His initial four-year contract, which was to expire in 2002
, was renewed well ahead of time and was to see Dabizas in the team until June 2004. He famously scored Newcastle's winning goal in the 1–0 victory in the local derby
against Sunderland
at the Stadium of Light
on 24 February 2002. Whilst at Newcastle he played in both the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup Finals.
Being left out of the first squad since the spring of 2003, Dabizas had no option but to seek a transfer. A car accident prevented him from moving during the summer transfer window. Still the decision to move was enforced as he did not see any action when the new season started. He accepted an offer from Leicester City in January 2004.
. It seemed like it was going to turn out to be a very disappointing season, but it was far from over. Dabizas was selected for the 2004 European Football Championship Greek squad but never saw any action as an injury kept him on the sidelines. To everyone's surprise, Greece went on to win the tournament, ending a season that had many turning points. After Euro 2004, Dabizas chose to stay at Leicester despite being entitled to a relegation release clause in his contract. Dabizas scored twice during his spell at Leicester, one in the league against Sheffield United, and another in the FA Cup against Charlton Athletic.
2007–08, reaching the group stage by eliminating Blackburn Rovers. In 2008–2009 season the team finished 5th in SuperLeague and won an UEFA Europa League place, but were eliminated in the 2nd qualifying round by KR Reykjavik (1–1,0–2). Here Dabizas found Stelios Venetidis and Stelios Giannakopoulos
two team mates in the Greek National Team in Euro 2004, as well as former Newcastle United team mate Laurent Robert
. After a poor start to the 2009/2010 season, Larissa finally finished in mid-table, and Dabizas signed a one-year contract extension, meaning that his spell with Larissa would be the longest with any club in his career and also where he played most.He finally retired there in 2011
Larissa
Greece
Ptolemaida
Ptolemaida is a town and a former municipality in Kozani peripheral unit, West Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Eordaia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
) is a retired Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
professional footballer and former Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, Olympiacos and Larissa defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He was also in Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad.
Career in Greece
Dabizas spent his days playing football and helping in his father's company. His first contact with football came when he was sixteen, although he never dreamt of becoming a professional footballer. However, fate had other plans for him. He played for a year as an amateur at the local team of Amydeo called Hermes, which was enough to give him the ticket to a team in the third divisionGamma Ethniki
Football League 2, formerly known as Gamma Ethniki, is the third highest professional football league in Greece.-History:It began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 1983 it was changed to professional...
and a professional contract, as he joined Pontioi Verias, as an 18-year-old, where he remained for three consecutive seasons, playing one year on the third division and two in the second. His big career break came when he was 21. He got an offer from Olympiacos, one of the biggest teams in Greece.
He moved to Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
and helped his new team win the Greek championship twice, something they hadn't done in ten years. He also took part in his first UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
games. After three-and-a-half seasons with Olympiacos he received an offer from Newcastle United, which opened him the doors to the English football fields, in the Premier League.
Newcastle United
He signed with Newcastle in March 19981997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
. His initial four-year contract, which was to expire in 2002
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
, was renewed well ahead of time and was to see Dabizas in the team until June 2004. He famously scored Newcastle's winning goal in the 1–0 victory in the local derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
at the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
on 24 February 2002. Whilst at Newcastle he played in both the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup Finals.
Being left out of the first squad since the spring of 2003, Dabizas had no option but to seek a transfer. A car accident prevented him from moving during the summer transfer window. Still the decision to move was enforced as he did not see any action when the new season started. He accepted an offer from Leicester City in January 2004.
Leicester and Euro 2004
Dabizas played regularly for Leicester as they battled to stay in the Premier League, their efforts were inadequate and the team was relegated to the ChampionshipFootball League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. It seemed like it was going to turn out to be a very disappointing season, but it was far from over. Dabizas was selected for the 2004 European Football Championship Greek squad but never saw any action as an injury kept him on the sidelines. To everyone's surprise, Greece went on to win the tournament, ending a season that had many turning points. After Euro 2004, Dabizas chose to stay at Leicester despite being entitled to a relegation release clause in his contract. Dabizas scored twice during his spell at Leicester, one in the league against Sheffield United, and another in the FA Cup against Charlton Athletic.
AEL Larissa
Dabizas was released by Leicester at the end of his contract in May 2005. In August 2005, he signed a three-year deal with Larissa. In 2007, he won Larissa's second Greek cup, after a great personal performance in the final, being the captain. Dabizas, played in UEFA CupUEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
2007–08, reaching the group stage by eliminating Blackburn Rovers. In 2008–2009 season the team finished 5th in SuperLeague and won an UEFA Europa League place, but were eliminated in the 2nd qualifying round by KR Reykjavik (1–1,0–2). Here Dabizas found Stelios Venetidis and Stelios Giannakopoulos
Stelios Giannakopoulos
Stylianos "Stelios" Giannakopoulos , popularly known as Stelios, is a retired Greek footballer who is currently president of the Greek Professional Footballers Association...
two team mates in the Greek National Team in Euro 2004, as well as former Newcastle United team mate Laurent Robert
Laurent Robert
Laurent Robert is a former French footballer. He was a left winger, and has played for the French national football team....
. After a poor start to the 2009/2010 season, Larissa finally finished in mid-table, and Dabizas signed a one-year contract extension, meaning that his spell with Larissa would be the longest with any club in his career and also where he played most.He finally retired there in 2011
Honours
Olympiacos- Greek Championship: 1997, 1998
Larissa
- Greek CupGreek football CupThe Greek Football Cup , commonly known as the Greek Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Football Cup OPAP, is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation....
: 2007
Greece
- European ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: 20042004 UEFA European Football ChampionshipThe 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
External links
- Dabizas.com Nikos Dabizas Official Web Site
- National Football Teams