The Anastasios – Kouman relationship lasting through time and the background of the Dutchman’s arrival for the Panaitolikos – Levadeakos

In Agrinio, which can be seen from the stands of the Panaitolikos stadium, the game against Levadeiakos will take place on Sunday (6/11) at 12.00 Ronald Koeman.

The 59-year-old Dutch coach, one of the best in Europe, accepted the proposal of his former Ajax player and friend since 2004. Yannis Anastasiou, who started their “joint” journey to see the match of the team of Agrinio against the opposing team of Viotia.

The relationship between the two men began in February 2004 when Koeman, as Ajax manager at the time and due to issues he was having in his side’s attack after several injuries occurred together, decided to bring then-player Ayanda’s potential from Ronda, who was in who achieved great things in the Eredivisie and was one of the top scorers in the Netherlands.

The Dutch technician himself then said in his first statements: “Yoannis was the best choice for us. He brings quality to a position where we have a lot of problems. He has everything you need to be a successful centre-forward. He brings the ability to score goals and, above all, to a young team and experience.”

Anastasiou was what we call the manager’s player in the one year he played under Koeman’s instructions until February 2005 when the Dutch manager left.

He always did as much as possible what the 59-year-old coach asked him to do and made sure he was useful in the club’s dressing room as well, as he was one of Ajax’s oldest players at the time. Since then, their relationship has been on solid foundations.

Why does Kouman come to Panaitolikos – Levadeiakos?

But let’s go to today. Koeman was the one who decided to see the Levadeiakos game in person to resolve the consequences of many upon hearing this news. The Greek coach told his good friend that if he wanted to and if it suited him, he could be in our country for the match against Olympiacos on October 22nd, as well as for the match against the leaders Panathinaikos. which will also follow in Agrinio on November 9th.

While the invitation was open even for the second-round match against AEK in the OPAP Arena, he would have the opportunity to be in the Union’s new stadium and have all the “comfort” that the modern stadium, but of course Athens, offers in terms of his movements.

However, Koeman himself was the one who chose the game he would watch at home, namely at the “home” of Yannis Anastasiou. So that he has the opportunity not only to watch the game, but before each game to listen to the atmosphere that prevails in the city, to go to the facilities, to the training center and to see the work of the Greek technician up close, even in only one training session, the last before the game against Boooten.

As you can understand, it was he himself who did not choose the amenities that a game in Athens would offer him, but exactly the opposite with the aim of all of the above.

The 59-year-old, who is not exactly known for being a fan of commuting and traveling when they have nothing to do with his work, will travel to Agrinio on Saturday (5/11) in the morning, seeing his last training session Panaitolikou in the “Emileon” and on Sunday (6.11.) he will take his place in the official stadium. He will return to Athens for the next game on Monday (November 7th) and from there travel to the Netherlands.

Koeman’s own willingness to watch this match and no other demonstrates a deeper relationship and mutual respect that has developed between the two men since 2004 and has lasted over the past 18 years that the pair has been in a relationship spanning the Time goes on and getting stronger, stayed friendly.

Koeman, the football mentor

One could say that Anastasiou regards the 59-year-old Dutch coach as his football mentor and has taken many of the elements that distinguish and characterize him as a coach from his own coaching career.

Indeed, in the past, Yannis Anastasiou has not hesitated to call Koeman and consult him before making some decisions about his coaching career.

while too. In recent years, the 59-year-old coach Giannis Anastasiou spent ten days in Barcelona and “Masia” to see the famous workings of the best academy in the world.

Of course, all these years, when the two men find the opportunity, especially in the Netherlands, since Anastasiou also has a house there, they talk face to face and talk about football-related topics and not only since they have over the Time have built a very strong friendship that lasts over time and is not just based on football and all four lines of the field.