John Anastasiadis
Encyclopedia
Yiannis Anastasiadis (born 13 August 1968 in Melbourne
, Australia
) is a former Australian football (soccer)
player of Greek
background.
before being signed by the Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki FC
at the age of 19. He made his debut in 1988 and became an influential part of the team, playing in 18 Alpha Ethniki
matches, 5 cup games and 24 friendlies in the 1988/89 season, scoring 12 goals in total. He also took part in the club's brief 1990/91 and 1991/92 UEFA Cup
campaigns. Anastasiadis played a total of 382 (203 league, 52 cup) matches and scored 66 (24 league, 3 cup) goals in his 9 years at the club as a striker
.
Anastasiadis left PAOK in 1997 to return to Australia, where he joined NSL
side South Melbourne FC
. He played a key attacking role which helped the club to win back-to-back championships in the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons, scoring goals in both grand final victories: once in the 1997/98 final, past his brother Dean Anastasiadis
who was in goal for Carlton
; and two goals in the 1998/99 Grand Final against Sydney United
as a substitute. He also represented the club at the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
, scoring the team's only goal (and Australia's first in the tournament) of the competition against Mexican
side Necaxa
. He played his last professional game in the 2000/01 NSL grand final against the Wollongong Wolves
, coming off the bench to score a goal, once again past his brother Dean who was in goal for the opposition. He finished his playing career fully in 2003 playing in the lower Victorian leagues with Yarraville Glory, as captain-coach.
John Anastasiadis is an Honorary Life Member of Melbourne Club PAOK, The official PAOK Thessaloniki Supporters Club of Australia.
after the disbandment of the NSL competition, Anastasiadis put his hand up for the job which few wanted. Despite taking charge of a young squad which was quickly assembled merely weeks before the start of the new season, and which was labelled as a relegation candidate at the start of the year, Anastasiadis led the side to 3rd place on the ladder at the end of the season and as far as the Preliminary Final, where the team lost 1-0 to Heidelberg United
and was knocked out. Retained as coach for the 2006 VPL season, he led South Melbourne to victory in the grand final of the Vodafone Cup
competition. After failing to make the finals in 2007, South's poor start in 2008 saw Anastasiadis resign.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) is a former Australian football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player of Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
background.
Club career
Anastasiadis began his career at Heidelberg UnitedHeidelberg United
Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia...
before being signed by the Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki FC
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
at the age of 19. He made his debut in 1988 and became an influential part of the team, playing in 18 Alpha Ethniki
Super League Greece
The Superleague Greece is the highest professional football league in Greece. It was formed on July 16, 2006 and replaced Alpha Ethniki at the top of the Greek football league system. The league consists of 16 teams and runs from August to May, with teams playing 30 games each...
matches, 5 cup games and 24 friendlies in the 1988/89 season, scoring 12 goals in total. He also took part in the club's brief 1990/91 and 1991/92 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
campaigns. Anastasiadis played a total of 382 (203 league, 52 cup) matches and scored 66 (24 league, 3 cup) goals in his 9 years at the club as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
.
Anastasiadis left PAOK in 1997 to return to Australia, where he joined NSL
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
side South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
. He played a key attacking role which helped the club to win back-to-back championships in the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons, scoring goals in both grand final victories: once in the 1997/98 final, past his brother Dean Anastasiadis
Dean Anastasiadis
Dean Anastasiadis is a Greek Australian football player. A goalkeeper, he played for many years at a variety of clubs in the National Soccer League. This included being part of the 2000–01 championship side at Wollongong Wolves, and the 1997–98 Grand Final runner up Carlton SC side,...
who was in goal for Carlton
Carlton S.C.
Carlton Soccer Club is a defunct Australian association football club. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1997/98 season until round eight of the 2000/2001 season, after which it folded. The club was strongly linked to the Carlton Australian Rules club, and suffered from poor...
; and two goals in the 1998/99 Grand Final against Sydney United
Sydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
as a substitute. He also represented the club at the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
2000 FIFA Club World Championship
The 2000 FIFA Club World Championship was the pilot edition of the FIFA Club World Championship held in Brazil from 5 January to 14 January 2000...
, scoring the team's only goal (and Australia's first in the tournament) of the competition against Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
side Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
. He played his last professional game in the 2000/01 NSL grand final against the Wollongong Wolves
Wollongong Wolves
The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial...
, coming off the bench to score a goal, once again past his brother Dean who was in goal for the opposition. He finished his playing career fully in 2003 playing in the lower Victorian leagues with Yarraville Glory, as captain-coach.
John Anastasiadis is an Honorary Life Member of Melbourne Club PAOK, The official PAOK Thessaloniki Supporters Club of Australia.
Managerial career
After retirement from playing, and with Yarraville relegated under his stewardship in 2003, he managed to get the side promoted back the next season. In 2005, with the return of South Melbourne to the Victorian Premier LeagueVictorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
after the disbandment of the NSL competition, Anastasiadis put his hand up for the job which few wanted. Despite taking charge of a young squad which was quickly assembled merely weeks before the start of the new season, and which was labelled as a relegation candidate at the start of the year, Anastasiadis led the side to 3rd place on the ladder at the end of the season and as far as the Preliminary Final, where the team lost 1-0 to Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia...
and was knocked out. Retained as coach for the 2006 VPL season, he led South Melbourne to victory in the grand final of the Vodafone Cup
Victorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
competition. After failing to make the finals in 2007, South's poor start in 2008 saw Anastasiadis resign.