Kalamata FC
Encyclopedia
Kalamata F.C. is a professional football club based in Kalamata
, Greece
, currently competing in Delta Ethniki.
seven times, in 1972-73, 1974–75, from 1995-96 to 1997-98, and from 1999-00 to 2000-01.
Kalamata F.C. achieved its first two promotions to the first division, in 1972 and 1974, under President Lykourgos Gaitanaros. Its first two promotions in the early 1970s are considered the team's first golden era. The team could not stick in the top flight though, and would not have a resurgence until the 1990s.
The club's second golden and greatest era began when international businessman Stavros Papadopoulos
bought the team in 1992, while the club was stuck in Gamma Ethniki
, the third division. Upon his arrival, Papadopoulos began pouring a substantial amount of money into the club, and by 1995 the team had achieved promotion to the first division. The team dropped back to the second division for one season in 1997, but again achieved promotion to the first division the very next year, and remained in the top flight until Papadopoulos sold the team in 2000. After Papadopoulos' departure Kalamata fell to the second division and has since stayed in the lower divisions ever since.
The Papadopoulos era of Kalamata F.C. was notable for the signing of many international players from the African nation of Ghana
, such as Samuel Johnson, Afo Dodoo
, Ebenezer Hagan
, Peter Ofori-Quaye and Derek Boateng
. These players helped Kalamata to achieve great results domestically, and some would go on to very big teams: Johnson transferred from Kalamata to Anderlecht
and later played for Fenerbahçe, Hagan transferred to Iraklis and then to PAOK, Ofori-Quaye was sold for a club record USD $3.5 million to Olympiacos, and Derek Boateng
left for Panathinaikos. Kalamata F.C. is credited with starting the trend among Greek clubs of signing African talent since the late 1990s. The Papadopoulos era is also notable for uncovering a wealth of young Greek talent, most significantly Greek international player Nikos Liberopoulos, who made his name at Kalamata before moving to Panathinaikos, and from there to AEK and Eintracht Frankfurt
.
While the fixation on African talent paid dividends for Kalamata FC, it also caused them to miss some bigger opportunities... it was always rumored, and then later confirmed by media in Brazil, that the famous Brazilian super star Ronaldo was offered to Kalamata FC at the age of 15 for USD$50,000, but was rejected by Papadopoulos and the team's technical staff as an inadequate asset. Brazilian 2002 World Cup star Juninho was also offered to Kalamata FC back in 1996 for USD$500,000, but once again the club deemed the sum too high a price to pay.
The club would learn its lessons, however, and after being demoted to the second division in 1997, they eventually started to bring in young Brazilian talent, as well as some veterans of the biggest teams in Brazil. The Brazilians helped the team gain promotion to the first division right away in 1998. According to Brazilian media and insiders, Papadopoulos's son Daniil, a former high level amateur athlete in America, was supposedly instrumental in spotting some of the Brazilian talent and sending them to Kalamata FC. Interestingly enough, one of those players, Hilton Assis(Kalamata FC 1999-2000), turned out to be the first cousin of Brazil and Barcelona FC super star Ronaldinho
. Hilton was once a promising player in Brazil who starred for Internacional of Porto Alegre, but serious knee operations curtailed his career. When he was healthy he was Kalamata's top goal scorer, but he returned to the Brazilian first division after Papadopoulos sold the team.
Kalamata's long standing rival are Paniliakos (team situated in Pirgos city in western Pelopponesus) and Aigaleo city, a well known industrial and impoverished suburb of Athens. Kalamata FC is also noted for having some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in all of Greece.
in Kalamata
. The stadium was completed in 1976, and currently has a seating capacity of 5,400.
, and Egaleo, in the Athens
suburn of Egaleo. Messiniakos is Kalamata's cross town rival, but Messiniakos generally competed in lower leagues.
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Ghana
Greece
Iceland
Scotland
Serbia
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, currently competing in Delta Ethniki.
Background
Kalamata F.C. was formed in 1967 in a merger among Apollon Kalamata and other local sides.History
The team has competed in the Greek first divisionSuper 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...
seven times, in 1972-73, 1974–75, from 1995-96 to 1997-98, and from 1999-00 to 2000-01.
Kalamata F.C. achieved its first two promotions to the first division, in 1972 and 1974, under President Lykourgos Gaitanaros. Its first two promotions in the early 1970s are considered the team's first golden era. The team could not stick in the top flight though, and would not have a resurgence until the 1990s.
The club's second golden and greatest era began when international businessman Stavros Papadopoulos
Stavros Papadopoulos
Stavros Papadopoulos, is a Greek businessman and the former owner of Kalamata FC and Apollon Kalamarias. He bought both these teams when they were in the third division and second division, respectively, and invested substantial money into them and eventually took both those teams up to the first...
bought the team in 1992, while the club was stuck in Gamma Ethniki
Gamma Ethniki
Football League 2, formerly known as Gamma Ethniki, is the third highest professional football league in Greece.-History:It began in 1965 as an amateur championship, while in 1983 it was changed to professional...
, the third division. Upon his arrival, Papadopoulos began pouring a substantial amount of money into the club, and by 1995 the team had achieved promotion to the first division. The team dropped back to the second division for one season in 1997, but again achieved promotion to the first division the very next year, and remained in the top flight until Papadopoulos sold the team in 2000. After Papadopoulos' departure Kalamata fell to the second division and has since stayed in the lower divisions ever since.
The Papadopoulos era of Kalamata F.C. was notable for the signing of many international players from the African nation of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, such as Samuel Johnson, Afo Dodoo
Afo Dodoo
Afo Dodoo is a Ghanaian former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a defender.-Club career:...
, Ebenezer Hagan
Ebenezer Hagan
Ebenezer Benyarko Hagan is a former Ghanaian International footballer who last played for Sekondi Hasaacas F.C. in the Ghana Premier League.- Career :...
, Peter Ofori-Quaye and Derek Boateng
Derek Boateng
Derek Owusu Boateng is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who currently plays as a midfielder for Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ghana national team....
. These players helped Kalamata to achieve great results domestically, and some would go on to very big teams: Johnson transferred from Kalamata to Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
and later played for Fenerbahçe, Hagan transferred to Iraklis and then to PAOK, Ofori-Quaye was sold for a club record USD $3.5 million to Olympiacos, and Derek Boateng
Derek Boateng
Derek Owusu Boateng is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who currently plays as a midfielder for Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ghana national team....
left for Panathinaikos. Kalamata F.C. is credited with starting the trend among Greek clubs of signing African talent since the late 1990s. The Papadopoulos era is also notable for uncovering a wealth of young Greek talent, most significantly Greek international player Nikos Liberopoulos, who made his name at Kalamata before moving to Panathinaikos, and from there to AEK and Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
.
While the fixation on African talent paid dividends for Kalamata FC, it also caused them to miss some bigger opportunities... it was always rumored, and then later confirmed by media in Brazil, that the famous Brazilian super star Ronaldo was offered to Kalamata FC at the age of 15 for USD$50,000, but was rejected by Papadopoulos and the team's technical staff as an inadequate asset. Brazilian 2002 World Cup star Juninho was also offered to Kalamata FC back in 1996 for USD$500,000, but once again the club deemed the sum too high a price to pay.
The club would learn its lessons, however, and after being demoted to the second division in 1997, they eventually started to bring in young Brazilian talent, as well as some veterans of the biggest teams in Brazil. The Brazilians helped the team gain promotion to the first division right away in 1998. According to Brazilian media and insiders, Papadopoulos's son Daniil, a former high level amateur athlete in America, was supposedly instrumental in spotting some of the Brazilian talent and sending them to Kalamata FC. Interestingly enough, one of those players, Hilton Assis(Kalamata FC 1999-2000), turned out to be the first cousin of Brazil and Barcelona FC super star Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
. Hilton was once a promising player in Brazil who starred for Internacional of Porto Alegre, but serious knee operations curtailed his career. When he was healthy he was Kalamata's top goal scorer, but he returned to the Brazilian first division after Papadopoulos sold the team.
Kalamata's long standing rival are Paniliakos (team situated in Pirgos city in western Pelopponesus) and Aigaleo city, a well known industrial and impoverished suburb of Athens. Kalamata FC is also noted for having some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in all of Greece.
Colours and crest
Kalamata F.C.'s official colours are black and white, and the team is known in Greece as the "Black Storm" (Mαύρη Θύελλα).Stadium
Kalamata plays its home matches at Kalamata Metropolitan StadiumKalamata Metropolitan Stadium
Kalamata Metropolitan Stadium is a sports arena in Kalamata, Messinia, Greece.The stadium was completed in 1976, and currently has a seating capacity of 5,400 ....
in Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
. The stadium was completed in 1976, and currently has a seating capacity of 5,400.
Rivals
Kalamata's long standing rivals are Paniliakos, located in Pyrgos in the western PeloponnesePeloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, and Egaleo, in the Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
suburn of Egaleo. Messiniakos is Kalamata's cross town rival, but Messiniakos generally competed in lower leagues.
Current squad
Achievements
- Beta Ethniki Championship.
- Winners (2): 1971-1972 (Group 1), 1973-74 (Group 2)
Notable former players
Albania- Arjan BellajArjan BellajArjan Bellaj is a retired Albanian footballer . He spent most of his career in Greece and he gained the Greek nationality....
Argentina
- Tomas De Vincenti
Brazil
- Luiz Carlos Dacroce
- Hilton Geronimo Assis
Canada
- Kenny StamatopoulosKenny StamatopoulosKyriakos "Kenny" Stamatopoulos is a Greek-Canadian soccer goalkeeper, currently play for AIK.-Sweden:...
Ghana
- Derek BoatengDerek BoatengDerek Owusu Boateng is a Ghanaian professional footballer, who currently plays as a midfielder for Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ghana national team....
- Afo DodooAfo DodooAfo Dodoo is a Ghanaian former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a defender.-Club career:...
- Baffour Gyan
- Ebenezer HaganEbenezer HaganEbenezer Benyarko Hagan is a former Ghanaian International footballer who last played for Sekondi Hasaacas F.C. in the Ghana Premier League.- Career :...
- Samuel Johnson
- Peter Ofori-Quaye
Greece
- Christos AritzisChristos AritzisChristos Aritzis, is a Greek footballer currently playing for Bulgarian side Vihren Sandanski. He is a central forward.Aritzis previously played for Kalamata F.C. in the Greek Beta Ethniki....
- Panagiotis Bachramis
- Makis BelevonisMakis BelevonisMakis Belevonis is a Greek professional football midfielder and currently the captain of Superleague club Panetolikos F.C..Belevonis spent many years in the Greek first division with OFI Crete and Kalamata....
- Panagiotis Drougas
- Kostas FrantzeskosKostas FrantzeskosKostas Frantzeskos is a Greek former footballer, best known for his deadly free-kick accuracy. He was regarded as one of the best free-kick specialists in Europe, scoring numerous times from set-pieces during his career....
- Aris GalanopoulosAris GalanopoulosAristidis Galanopoulos is a Greek footballer who plays for OFI Crete in the Greek Beta Ethniki.Galanopoulos began his playing career by signing with Kalamata F.C. in August 1999. He later played for Panionios F.C. and Apollon Kalamarias F.C. in the Greek Super League.Galanopoulos competed for...
- Nikolaos GeorgeasNikolaos GeorgeasNikolaos "Nikos" Georgeas is a Greek footballer. He currently plays as a right back for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League.-Club career:...
- Fanouris GoundoulakisFanouris GoundoulakisFanouris Goundoulakis is a Greek football player currently playing for Panionios in the Greek Super League.-Football career:Goundoulakis started playing professional football in 2000–01 at Kalamata F.C..In January 2004 he was transferred to Panionios and immediately got the basic position in the...
- Vaggelis KaounosVaggelis KaounosVaggelis Kaounos is a Greek footballer. He currently plays for Ethnikos Asteras F.C..Kaounos previously played for Skoda Xanthi F.C. and Kallithea F.C. in the Alpha Ethniki. He also played for Ethnikos Asteras F.C., PAS Giannina, Kalamata F.C., Asteras Tripolis and Panetolikos F.C..-References:***...
- Christos Kelpekis
- Thanasis Kostoulas
- Vaggelis KoutsouresVaggelis KoutsouresVaggelis Koutsoures was born in 2 February 1975 in Portaria Chalkidikis, Greece is a Greek football player who currently plays for Erani Filiatra. Koutsoures played for Panathinaikos F.C., OFI Crete and Kerkyra F.C. in the Greek Super League.- References :...
- Nikos Liberopoulos
- Sotiris Lymperopoulos
- Dimitris MarkosDimitris MarkosDimitris Markos is a retired Greek football midfielder. He now works as a scout for AEK Athens.-Career:Markos was born in Kilkis. He started his football career in Naoussa F.C., where he played three and a half season before joining the large Panathinaikos team...
- Evangelos Nastos
- Thanasis SentementesThanasis SentementesThanasis Sentementes is a Greek footballer currently signed to Kerkyra F.C..-References:...
Iceland
- Ríkharður DaðasonRíkharður DaðasonRíkharður Daðason is a former Icelandic football forward. In his teenage years Ríkharður was also a talented handball player.-Club career:...
Scotland
- Lee BullenLee BullenLee Bullen is a Scottish football player and coach. In a career that has spanned more than 20 years, Bullen has played football professionally in Scotland, England, Australia, Greece and Hong Kong...
Serbia
- Zdenko MufZdenko MufZdenko Muf is a retired Serbian professional football player.-Career:...
European matches
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | UEFA Intertoto Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued... |
3rd Round |  FK Chmel BlšanyFK Chmel Blšany FK Chmel Blšany is a Czech football club based in the village of Blšany. The club plays at the Městský Stadion with capacity of 2.300 seats. That means with every citizen of Blšany village on the tribune, there will be still about 1,500 seats free. It currently plays in Divize B in the Czech Fourth... |
0−3 | 0–5 |