Joe Palatsides has flown into town last week from Greece back on his annual holidays visiting family and friends. I recently wrote an article on the 20th anniversary of the 1991 South Melbourne Championship team and the significant role Joe played in that famous match by scoring the equalising goal.

Australian soccer fans will be happy to know Joe is working in the game he loves as a football manager in Greece and has forged a respectable managing career there after leaving Australia over 16 years ago now to play in the Greek top league. Joe is famous for scoring two goals in his second match for Apollon Kalamaria and now views the game as a manager after many years as a player.

“It’s so different as a manager than as a player. When you played you trained and went home and only worried about your own game and preparing for the next match, as a manager you are working in your mind 24/7. Organising the preparation for the week, analysing every player in your squad, thinking about tactics for the next match, handling media and club commitments, it’s another world but a job I love and is a passion and a commitment you need to have to succeed.”

Joe is fresh out of winning the Championship with Apollon Kalamaria in the lower leagues of Greece after they had financial problems and is weighing up his next move. He admits Greece is a different proposition to the past with the country’s economic problems affecting all industries yet Joe has always enjoyed employment in the cut throat industry of Greek football which is a validation of his qualities as a manager.

“Living in Europe, I have been able to stay abreast of the ever-changing development in football tactics and training techniques. I am always learning. Many times I will rush to a Paok training session and being fortunate as a former player I have access to getting into the ground and watching what the high profile European coaches are doing. I am pretty comfortable with my practices and when you have this knowledge it really comes down to the environment and discipline of the players and obviously the quality that your budget allows you to buy.”

Joe understands with most Victorian Premier League clubs training three times per week there is only so much work that can be achieved in that time frame. He visited some VPL games following Northcote a little closer due to his lifelong friend Peter Tsolakis managing the side and was present at the derby game between his two old sides South Melbourne FC versus Heidelberg United last weekend.

“Peter is doing an amazing job at Northcote with the budget he has at his disposal. I can relate to his challenge as I have battled with smaller budgets than my competitors in the past and it requires a very canny manager to compete. Watching the South versus Heidelberg game both sides really didn’t trouble each other in the key attacking areas of the park and it did become a dour derby in the end.”

The passion for the game is so evident as he discusses his philosophy of coaching.

“I always build from the back and I make sure my defenders know how to play out against any formation, whether its one, two or three forwards. My midfielders always know where they are supposed to be on the park when my defenders have the ball and I make sure my creative players receive the ball in areas of the ground where they can do damage most. I also pride myself on my players being conditioned well and being available for selection barring collision injuries that you cannot do anything about.”

I quizzed Joe on his next move and could we tempt him back to his country of birth as he would have so much to offer football in this country. He kept his cards close to his chest but had this to share with the Neos Kosmos readers, “You never say never. It all depends on so many things but I love Australia. I have a close knit family and some wonderful friends and I miss them all but it all comes down to my work. I am a manager, that’s what I do. I know Australia and Asia is really growing so lets see what happens.”

Neos Kosmos thanks Joe for his time and we hope to see him at some more football matches during his stay back in Australia.