Giorgos Giakoumakis, it appears, is not one for forgetting his roots.
Nikos Makrakis was Giakoumakis’ old coach at Third Division Greek side PAO, a club his brother still represents and one his father and Grandfather also played for – so quite the footballing family – and Makrakis as reported in the Scottish Sun, has revealed that whenever back in Crete, and particularly during Lockdown, the academy kids always get a helping hand from a former pupil.
“We have had great webinars with Giorgos and all the participants loved it. He was a great teacher for our kids. He is in contact with POA and we are very happy with this.
“When he is in Crete he always comes to train on our football field. He knows that everyone at POA loves to see him.
“I must also say that during the lockdown, when Giorgos was in Poland he had regular communication with the academy kids. He sent videos and encouraged them to be patient until coronavirus ends.”
And for Makrakis, the wearing of the Green at Celtic is also something special for those following his progress back home, given those are also the colours of PAO, something his former coach believes may be what gives him his goalscoring powers.
“Maybe fate knows that Giakoumakis looks great in green and white! And as far as I know, when he is dressed like this he becomes a superhero!
“I first saw Giorgos play when I was a player and he joined our academy. He was member of a team with many talented young players, but Giorgos stood out with his style and his physical skills. He was always a good striker. From the start, he had a great sense of how to score. His relationship with the opponents’ goal was always excellent!”
“I just remember watching the way Giorgos took up positions on the pitch, the way he moved and found space. With and without the ball, he showed a lot of promise and I knew he would have a future in football. He was very hard-working and always focused on training. He was disciplined and took in the instructions of his coaches. He was low key, but was not afraid to compete during every phase of the game. He showed the football audacity that you need to face every opponent on a pitch.”
“It seemed from early on that he aimed to advance in football.”
It’s easy to see why his former club hold Giorgos Giakoumakis in such high regard. After all, how many players these days would go to the lengths Celtic’s 12 goal striker does to ensure future generations at their first club get the contact from a former player like Giakoumakis does.
It really does say a lot for his character and we know that, just as much as footballing ability, is something that holds sway with Ange Postecoglou, and it also means back home in Crete there is a great deal of pride for Giakoumakis and his goalscoring form for Celtic.
“Of course we are proud of Giorgos. We always think about him with love and pride for his achievements. We are always watching his progress and we are happy to see him becoming a favourite with Celtic in Scotland. Giorgos is a good role model for the children of the academy. He is an excellent example of what you can do through hard work.”
Niall J
