Vasilios Koutsianikoulis

Vasilios Koutsianikoulis (Greek: Βασίλης Κουτσιανικούλης; born 9 August 1988) is a Greek footballer who last played for OFI Crete in the Greek Superleague as a Left winger / Attacking Midfielder. 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.

Clubs

Iraklis Chalkis

Koutsianikoulis began his career at Iraklis Chalkis, a Delta Ethniki (meaning Fourth Division) team based in Larissa, where Nikos Nioplias, then coach of the Greece U19 team first saw him.

Ergotelis

Before the under 19 tournament he had signed a contract with Ergotelis, despite the interest from OFI. 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.

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 Thessaloniki team from Summer 2009 onwards on a 4-year contract.^[1] 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.

OFI Crete

AEK Athens is looking to sign former Greek youth international and ex-PAOK winger. The 23 year-old is keen to join Vangelis Vlachos’ side according to AEK president Thomas Mavros, who confirmed he has met with the player’s manager. Mavros will discuss this move with Vlachos, who will be desperate to strengthen a squad decimated by the departure of a raft of key players this summer. In an attempt to address their debts and financial troubles, AEK have been forced to off-load a number of first-team stars. Koutsianikoulis was once one of the hottest prospects in Greek football when he burst onto the scene with Ergotelis.^[2]

Eventually, Koutsianikoulis has snubbed AEK Athens in favour of a move to OFI Crete. The Cretans have confirmed that the 24 year-old has joined OFI on a free transfer after leaving local rivals Ergotelis, with whom he had just finished a second spell. Reports had linked Koutsianikoulis with both AEK and OFI in the past weeks and it seemed the Athenian club had convinced the Greek youth international to join, despite their well documented financial troubles. However, the winger has decided to play for OFI, who recently secured a license from the tax office to take part in the Greek Super League this season. ^[3]

On 20 August 2012, Koutsianikoulis signed with OFI on a 3-year contract.^[4] He made his debut with the club on August 2012 in a 0-0 home draw against Xanthi and he scored on 29 October 2012 in a 2-2 home draw against Panetolikos.

On 21 March 2015, OFI announced that they are withdrawing immediately from the Greek Super League criticising the top-flight circuit for “unfair and uneven decisions” against the club and Koutsianikoulis is looking for the next club to continue his career.^[5]

National team

Nikos Nioplias 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. The 20-year-old Koutsianikoulis, who has featured previously in the Greece Under-21 squad, shot to prominence in Ergotelis's 3-2 triumph over Panathinaikos at the Olympic Stadium in late October. His reward is a place in Otto Rehhagel's 20-man group for a friendly against Italy on 19 May 2008 at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus, but was not fielded.^[6]

Club statistics

Statistics accurate as of 18 March 2015

Individual

• Greek Young Footballer of the year: 2009

References