Vasilios Koutsianikoulis
Encyclopedia
Vasilios Koutsianikoulis (born 9 August 1988) is a Greek
footballer. He currently plays for Greek Super League team Ergotelis F.C. He is a left footed winger that can play either on the left or right wing and is considered a strong prospect for the national team.
, then coach of the Greece U19
team first saw him.
. Koutsianikoulis had traveled to Heraklion in April 2007 to be tried out by then OFI coach, Reiner Maurer
in a friendly against Ergotelis. Despite his good performance, the German coach did not make a decision fast and Ergotelis had the chance to sign him instead. During the 2007–08 Greece Superleague
season, he played in 12 games (10 as a substitute) and a total of 126 minutes, but did not score.
During the 2008–09 Greece Superleague
season he became a starter. He impressed in the 3–0 victory against Aris
with an assist. He then scored 2 goals and registered one assist against Panathinaikos
, and also scored another against this year's champions Olympiacos F.C.. His performances led fans and press to start calling him "The Greek Messi" or "Messi of the poor" due to his playing style which was reminiscent to the Argentinian's. Eventually Otto Rehhagel
called him to the Greece National Team
and made him a target for major clubs in Greece.
team from Summer 2009 onwards on a 4-year contract. The deal included a payment of €1,200,000 to Ergotelis and a friendly match between the two teams.
Koutsianikoulis did not manage to impress the PAOK coach Fernando Santos, and most of his appearancess in the 2009–10 found him coming in from the bench. Towards the end of the season he made some good appearances, leaving fans with a positive feeling about his future in the club.
coach of the Greece U19
was impressed with his skills and included him in the squad that played in the 2007 UEFA European Championship
. Koutsianikoulis played for one half against Spain in the group stage and then in the final against Spain again where Greece lost 1–0.
Koutsianikoulis received his first call-up for the Greece National Team for a friendly against Italy
on 19 May 2008, but was not fielded.
Statistics accurate as of 19 June 2011
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
footballer. He currently plays for Greek Super League team Ergotelis F.C. He is a left footed winger that can play either on the left or right wing and is considered a strong prospect for the national team.
Iraklis Chalkis
Koutsianikoulis began his career at Iraklis Chalkis, a Delta Ethniki (meaning Fourth Division) team based in Larissa, where Nikos NiopliasNikos Nioplias
Nikolaos "Nikos" Nioplias , born on 17 January 1965 is a Greek football manager and former international footballer. He currently manages the Cyprus national football team.-Club career:...
, then coach of the Greece U19
Greece national under-19 football team
-Group 3:- Current squad :Represented Greece in the UEFA under 19 championship July 20- August 1 2011- See also :* Greece Under-19 2007 national team* Greece Under-19 2007 national team- External links :*...
team first saw him.
Ergotelis
Before the under 19 tournament he had signed a contract with Ergotelis, despite the interest from OFIOFI Crete
OFI , the Sportfriends Association Heraklion, is a Greek association football club based in Heraklion, on the island of Crete. Outside Greece, the club is generally known as OFI Crete F.C., however, the name Crete is not actually part of the club's official title.OFI is the club with most...
. Koutsianikoulis had traveled to Heraklion in April 2007 to be tried out by then OFI coach, Reiner Maurer
Reiner Maurer
Reiner Maurer is a German football coach and a former player.-Career:He spent three seasons in the Bundesliga as a player for FC Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and TSV 1860 München and then coached in Germany and Greece....
in a friendly against Ergotelis. Despite his good performance, the German coach did not make a decision fast and Ergotelis had the chance to sign him instead. During the 2007–08 Greece Superleague
Super League Greece 2007-08
2007-08 was the second season of the Super League's, and started on September 1, 2007. The defending champions were Olympiacos. Asteras Tripolis, Veria and Levadiakos were promoted from Beta Ethniki in the previous season.-Postponement:...
season, he played in 12 games (10 as a substitute) and a total of 126 minutes, but did not score.
During the 2008–09 Greece Superleague
Super League Greece 2008-09
-League table :||rowspan=8 style="background-color:white;"|-Results:...
season he became a starter. He impressed in the 3–0 victory against Aris
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...
with an assist. He then scored 2 goals and registered one assist against Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
, and also scored another against this year's champions Olympiacos F.C.. His performances led fans and press to start calling him "The Greek Messi" or "Messi of the poor" due to his playing style which was reminiscent to the Argentinian's. Eventually Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers....
called him to the Greece National Team
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...
and made him a target for major clubs in Greece.
PAOK
On 22 May 2009, after Olympiacos and Panathinaikos had tried to transfer the player, Ergotelis and PAOK reached an agreement which would allow Koutsianikoulis to continue for the ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
team from Summer 2009 onwards on a 4-year contract. The deal included a payment of €1,200,000 to Ergotelis and a friendly match between the two teams.
Koutsianikoulis did not manage to impress the PAOK coach Fernando Santos, and most of his appearancess in the 2009–10 found him coming in from the bench. Towards the end of the season he made some good appearances, leaving fans with a positive feeling about his future in the club.
National team
Nikos NiopliasNikos Nioplias
Nikolaos "Nikos" Nioplias , born on 17 January 1965 is a Greek football manager and former international footballer. He currently manages the Cyprus national football team.-Club career:...
coach of the Greece U19
Greece national under-19 football team
-Group 3:- Current squad :Represented Greece in the UEFA under 19 championship July 20- August 1 2011- See also :* Greece Under-19 2007 national team* Greece Under-19 2007 national team- External links :*...
was impressed with his skills and included him in the squad that played in the 2007 UEFA European Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:-------------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-----Teams:-Top goalscorers:-External links:* at uefa.com...
. Koutsianikoulis played for one half against Spain in the group stage and then in the final against Spain again where Greece lost 1–0.
Koutsianikoulis received his first call-up for the Greece National Team for a friendly against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 19 May 2008, but was not fielded.
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Ergotelis | 2007–08 | 12 | o | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 6 | |
| PAOK | 2009–10 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 2 |
| 2010–11 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | |
| Ergotelis | 2011–12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 77 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 7 | 8 | |
Statistics accurate as of 19 June 2011
Individual
- Greek Young Footballer of the year: 2009Super League Greece 2008-09-League table :||rowspan=8 style="background-color:white;"|-Results:...