Legendary Greek striker praises Celtic’s Giakoumakis after Nations League display

Greece legend Nikos Mahlas has praised Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis after his goal and performance in the Nations League against Kosovo this week. Giakoumakis had made a blistering start to life in 2022 with the Hoops, after an injury-ridden first period to his career at Parkhead.

Finishing joint-top scorer with Ross County’s Reagan Charles-Cook on 13 goals a piece, what was immensely impressive was that most of those goals came in the New Year for the big Greek. A final day brace against Motherwell at Celtic Park ensured he did not miss out on the prestige of being top goalscorer in the League – even if he did have to settle for sharing it.

This had led to Greece manager Gus Poyet also praising the forward for his performances in 2022, talking up the level he was playing at currently. Now it is a retired fellow Greek centre-forward who has piped in to lavish praise on the burly Giakoumakis. Speaking to BN Sports, via athlitiko.gr, the former Ajax player said: “The timing shows the striker and Giakoumakis has it. He does his job well. George reminds me of me at 27. I started early, at 20 I was different, I was playing a lot out of the area, on the wing, making actions and creating play. In Holland later on I realized that I have a different role. Giakoumakis reminds me of my style.”

𝗚𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀 making his mark on the International stage 🔥

🍀 The @CelticFC man helped Greece become the first team to secure promotion in the #NationsLeague with this wonderful header last night against Kosovo 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/64zHQDHTNR

— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) June 13, 2022

A big, domineering striker, Giakoumakis is a nusissance for any defence given the unenviable task of trying to keep him sedated. His displays this season are part of the reason why the League Trophy now sits in Celtic Park with green and white ribbons around it. The games against theRangers both home and away were paramount to us leapfrogging the ten-year-old club to steal back our crown at the first time of asking.

It looks like his performces at club level have transferred onto the international scene, prompting admiring nods from various parts of the Greek set-up. Snatched from VVV-Venlo in the Eredivisie for a paltry £2.5 million last summer, there is a player worth a fortune in Giakoumakis now just entering his peak years. Hopefully Celtic will reap the benefits of this in the coming years.

Μαχλάς: Ο Γιακουμάκης θυμίζει το στυλ μου

Για την παρουσία της Εθνικής μας στο Nations League, αλλά και για το γκολ του Γιώργου Γιακουμάκη απέναντι στο Κόσοβο μίλησε ο Νίκος Μαχλάς.https://t.co/1yZHcOqp6q

— athlitiko.gr (@AthlitikoGr) June 14, 2022

Paul Gillespie