Penpix of Greece's squad for the World Cup in South Africa:Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos). Goalkeeper. Born Aug. 12 1982. Caps 6. Goals 0Won the Greek championship and Cup double this season and appears to be leading the race for the number one spot. Played in the World Cup qualification playoffs against Ukraine.Michalis Sifakis (Aris Salonika). Goalkeeper. Born Sept. 9 1984. Caps 1. Goals 0.At 25, the youngest of the three keepers. Sifakis is a spectacular and lightning-quick keeper but lacks international experience.Kostas Chalkias (PAOK Salonika). Goalkeeper. Born May 30 1974. Caps 27. Goals 0.Long in the shadow of Antonis Nikopolidis in the national team, Halkias has struggled to maintain a consistently high standard. Mistake-prone with high balls and at set pieces.Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born Feb. 5 1981. Caps 27. Goals 0.A tall, skilful defender who likes to push forward down the wing. Has played a more central defensive role in recent seasons. Born in the Czech Republic and moved to Greece at the age of nine.Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Liverpool). Defender. Born July 23 1979. Caps 56. Goals 4.The heart and soul of the Greek defence, the powerful Kyrgiakos is also attack-minded and is dangerous with headers from set pieces. The pony-tailed defender can be reckless and has more than once been sent off in crucial games.Vangelis Moras (Bologna). Defender. Born Aug. 26 1981. Caps 10. Goals 0.One of coach Otto Rehhagel's 'Twin towers', a feature in almost all the teams he has managed. At 1.94 metres, Moras is the backbone of the team and one of the reasons defensive order was restored during the qualifying campaign.Christos Patsatzoglou (Omonia). Defender. Born March 19 1979. Caps 41. Goals 1.Experienced defender who can also be deployed in a holding midfield role. Has good ball skills and a powerful shot. A versatile tool for Greece.Giourkas Seitaridis (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born June 4 1981. Caps 67. Goals 1.Has played irregularly this season and has received a last-minute call-up with his experience swinging the decision. Part of the Euro 2004-winning team, has been out of form for two seasons. His sprints down the wings are nowadays a rare sight.Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiakos). Defender. Born May 3 1984. Caps 12. Goals 0Hard-working, intelligent defender, Papadopoulos has quickly built a name for himself. His hard tackling often leads to problems with referees.Socratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa). Defender. Born June 9 1988. Caps 10. Goals 0.The other half of Greece's tall central defence. Has moved to Serie A where his skills and authority are in great demand.Giorgos Galitsios (Olympiakos). Defender. Born June 8 1986. Caps 1. Goals 0.One of a new generation of defenders, he was called up by Rehhagel for the Ukraine second-leg playoff as a defensive option due to an injury to Vassilis Torosidis.Giorgos Tzavellas (Panionios). Defender. Born Nov. 11 1987. Caps 1. Goals 0.Had an outstanding season in the Greek league and won his first cap alongside Galitsios in a friendly against Senegal in March.Nikos Spyropoulos (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born Oct. 10 1983. Caps 17. Goals 0.The diminutive left-back is on the rise after establishing himself with Panathinaikos. Arguably the most creative player in that position, he can also switch to the other side. Likes to carry the ball forward.Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiakos). Defender. Born June 10 1985. Caps 25. Goals 2.Strong in the air and skilful, Torosidis is equally comfortable in the midfield role he has often been asked to fill.Stelios Malezas (PAOK Thessaloniki). Defender. Born March 11 1985. Caps 0. Goals 0.An unexpected addition to the squad, the tall, 25-year-old central defender has been very strong for PAOK this season as the team battles for a Champions League qualification spot.Kostas Manolas (AEK Athens). Defender. June 14 1991. Caps 0. Goals 0.The nephew of former Greece international Stelios Manolas, Kostas looks to have inherited the defensive skills of his uncle, even playing for the same team. The 1.86-metre tall central defender is among the most talented Greek teenagers though whether he will make the final cut is questionable.Stergos Marinos (Panathinaikos). Defender. Born Sept. 17 1987. Caps 0. Goals 0.A talented rightback who has climbed through the national youth teams. Grabbed the opportunity to make himself known in his first season at Panathinaikos. Possesses unusual speed for a defender and very good ball skills. Is also is dangerous with crosses.Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born March 6 1977. Caps 91. Goals 6.The captain and undisputed leader of the team will finally get the chance to shine on the biggest stage. Veteran of the Euro 2004 title-winning campaign, he has the big-tournament experience and a never-say-die attitude. Can be deadly from set pieces and has a powerful right foot.Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens). Midfielder. Born Jan. 18 1987. Caps 3. Goals 0.The quick-footed midfielder has had little opportunity to shine in a midfield crowded with big names. Has gone through the ranks of all the national youth teams. Lacks international experience at senior level.Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born June 21 1979. Caps 67. Goals 7.Another of the Euro 2004 winners left in the squad, Katsouranis commands authority in midfield and can slice open defences with one skilful pass. He is strong in the air and eager to get forward for set pieces.Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos). Midfielder. Born April 3 1990. Caps 3. Goal 1.Arguably the most gifted player of his generation, Ninis is a joy to watch in midfield. Vision, speed and skill will turn this youngster into a transfer target for major European clubs if Rehhagel gives him a starting spot. Has often been left on the bench in the past two years.Alexandros Tziolis (Siena). Midfielder. Born Feb. 13 1985. Caps 17. Goals 0.Tall and strong, Tziolis is equipped with a thundering right-footed shot. Had a successful stint at Werder Bremen before joining Siena where he has established himself this season. Enjoys playing a defensive midfield role but relishes the chance to venture forward.Sakis Prittas (Aris Thessaloniki). Midfielder. Born Jan. 9 1979. Caps 0. Goals 0.The holding midfielder was a surprise addition to the Greece team, rewarded at the age of 31 with a spot on the squad for his strong league performances and for helping to steer Aris to the Greek Cup final. A very physical and skilled player.Fanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen). Forward. Born May 23 1980. Caps 46. Goals 20.Rehhagel's biggest weapon in attack. Lightning fast and skilful, Gekas is a nightmare for defenders, capable of scoring from any position. Style is reminiscent of 1970s Germany striker Gerd Mueller. Top scorer in all European Zone qualifying groups with 10 goals from 12 matches.Pantelis Kapetanos (Steaua Bucharest). Forward. Born June 8 1983. Caps 1. Goals 0.Blond-haired striker has made a name for himself with Steaua Bucharest. Strong but sometimes ponderous, he is a new addition to Rehhagel's squad.Kostas Mitroglou (Olympiakos). Forward. Born March 12 1988. Caps 1. Goals: 0The 22-year-old enjoyed success with the under-19 team which reached the European final in 2007. Learned his trade in Germany as a youngster. Quick and strong in the air.Giorgos Samaras (Celtic). Forward. Born Feb. 21 1985. Caps 32. Goals 5.Tall, long-haired striker who enjoys bursting down the left but has had a hapless spell at Celtic. Powerful in the air and a good dribbler but often wants to do it all alone.Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Panathinaikos). Forward. Born Dec. 19 1986. Caps 3. Goals 0.A feature in the side for the first half of the season, he lost his starting spot and could also be leaving Panathinaikos. Was once regarded as a major talent but he has yet to show consistency in his game.Angelos Haristeas (Nuremberg). Forward. Born Feb. 9 1980. Caps 82. Goals 23.Hero in Greece for his winning goal in the 2004 Euro final, Haristeas is long past his prime and a bad season at Nuremberg will have done little to increase his chances of a World Cup starting place. But his aerial ability, technique and Rehhagel's consistent support could prove enough.Dimitris Salpingidis (Panathinaikos). Striker. Born Aug. 10 1981. Caps 33. Goals 3.The diminutive Panathinaikos forward won the domestic double this season and scored the crucial away goal against Ukraine in the World Cup qualification playoff that sent Greece through 1-0 on aggregate. A speedy and intelligent striker, he makes up for his lack of height with quick positioning in the box and a powerful shot.(Compiled by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by Clare Fallon;To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)News posted by www.newsinfoline.com
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