Alketas 'Alkis' Panagoulias ( el, Αλκέτας 'Άλκης' Παναγούλιας; 30 May 1934 – 18 June 2012) was a Greek
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
player and manager. He managed the national teams of both
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. He also managed several clubs, including
Aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...
, his birthplace team, and
Olympiakos with whom he won three
Alpha Ethniki
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
championships.
Early life and playing career
Alketas was born in
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
on 30 May 1934. Alketas started his football career as a player for
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris FC ( el, ΠΑΕ Άρης), commonly known as Aris Thessaloniki FC, AFC or simply Aris, is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. Created in 1914 as ''Aris Thessaloniki Football Club'', t ...
in
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
, Greece.
Coaching career
After finishing his first degree, he moved to the United States, where he attended the University of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. There he coached the
Greek American Atlas (also known as "New York Greek Americans") to three consecutive
National Challenge Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in that country.
The 2023 U.S. O ...
titles in
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
,
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Januar ...
, and
1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
.
He returned to
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
as the assistant coach of the
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team ( el, Εθνική Ελλάδας, ) represents Greece in men's international football matches and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece play most ...
, under the famous Northern Ireland coach
Billy Bingham
William Laurence Bingham (5 August 1931 – 9 June 2022) was a Northern Ireland international footballer and football manager.
As a player, his first professional club was Glentoran, whom he played for between 1948 and 1950. Making the move ...
, in 1972; the following year, he took over as head coach,
[Greece National Football team site](_blank)
and helmed the team
from 1973–1981, including Greece's first Euro appearance in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
, in Italy. (Greece would not qualify for the
Euro tournament again for a generation, until
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, when they won the championship.) Panagoulias coached the famous
Olympiacos C.F.P.Olympiacos web site
from 1981–1983, earning the Alpha Ethniki
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
title in 1982 and 1983.
He returned to the United States to become the head coach of the United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.
The U.S. team ha ...
, from 1983–1985. A professional version of the USMNT, called Team America, played in the North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...
in 1983, based out of RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the w ...
in Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. After many American stars refused to leave their NASL clubs to play for them, however, Team America could only manage a 10-20 record (and a last place finish) with a patchwork lineup. The following year, Panagoulias led the USA squad in the 1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, with a 1-1-1 record in the group stage, not sufficient to advance to the next round. After failing to qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June 1986. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia ha ...
in 1985, Panagoulias resigned as USMNT coach.
Panagoulias subsequently returned to Athens to coach Olympiacos C.F.P., winning another title in 1987. He also led Aris FC from 1987–1990 and Levadiakos
Levadiakos Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ Λεβαδειακός) is a Greek professional football club that plays in the Super League Greece. Based in Livadeia, Greece, the club was promoted to the Alpha Ethniki, forerunner of the Super League, afte ...
from 1991–1992. He returned as head coach of the Greece national team in 1992 and led the team to its first appearance in a World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
in 1994, played in his adopted country (by now, Panagoulias was an American citizen). Although he was very popular among Greek fans at the time, the team's poor performance in World Cup '94 (losing all three matches by a combined score of 0-10) attracted widespread criticism, and Panagoulias was replaced by Kostas Polychroniou
Konstantinos Polychroniou ( el, Κώστας Πολυχρονίου; 12 November 1936 – 1 June 2018), better known as Kostas Polychroniou, was a Greek professional association football, football player and manager.
Career
Born in Platanistos, ...
. He later coached Iraklis FC
Gymnastic Club Iraklis Thessaloniki Football Club ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής Θεσσαλονίκης) is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. As of 2022, t ...
in 1997 and Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris FC ( el, ΠΑΕ Άρης), commonly known as Aris Thessaloniki FC, AFC or simply Aris, is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. Created in 1914 as ''Aris Thessaloniki Football Club'', t ...
from 1998–1999.
Later career
Following his retirement from coaching, Panagoulias served as President of Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris FC ( el, ΠΑΕ Άρης), commonly known as Aris Thessaloniki FC, AFC or simply Aris, is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. Created in 1914 as ''Aris Thessaloniki Football Club'', t ...
in 2002. During the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, he served as venue manager for the soccer events held in Athens. His biography, was published in Greece in November 2007.
He was elected member of the city council of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
, and was a candidate for the Greek Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament ( el, Ελληνικό Κοινοβούλιο, Elliniko Kinovoulio; formally titled el, Βουλή των Ελλήνων, Voulí ton Ellínon, Boule of the Hellenes, label=none), also known as the Parliament of the Hel ...
and a candidate for the European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
representing Greece in 1993. He was a FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
instructor, a National Faculty member of the US Academy of Sports and a member of the USSF Coaches Council.
Panagoulias was a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is ...
Hall of Fame.
In 2014, the side street adjacent to Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris FC ( el, ΠΑΕ Άρης), commonly known as Aris Thessaloniki FC, AFC or simply Aris, is a Greek professional football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. Created in 1914 as ''Aris Thessaloniki Football Club'', t ...
stadium, (Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium
The Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium () or Charilaou Ground (Γήπεδο Χαριλάου) is a football stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece. It was built in 1951 as the home stadium of Aris F.C. (Thessaloniki), one of the most popular football clubs in ...
), was named after him following a decision by the City Council of the Municipality of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
.
Honours
Player
Club
Aris
* EPSM Championship: 1952–53, 1958–59
Greek American AA
*National Challenge Cup: 1967
Manager
Greek American AA
*National Challenge Cup: 1968, 1969
Olympiacos
*Super League Greece
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87
References
External links
The Greek, ''The Washington Post''
* ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/post/alkis-panagoulias-former-greece-and-us-soccer-coach-dies-at-age-78/2012/06/19/gJQAZUXPoV_blog.html Obituary, ''The Washington Post''
FIFA Obituary
Explaining The Lack of American Coaches Abroad
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panagoulias, Alketas
1934 births
1994 FIFA World Cup managers
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. managers
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. presidents
Greek footballers
Greek Macedonians
Greek football managers
Greek expatriate football managers
Greece national football team managers
Greek politicians
Greek emigrants to the United States
2012 deaths
Olympiacos F.C. managers
Super League Greece managers
Super League Greece players
Footballers from Thessaloniki
UEFA Euro 1980 managers
North American Soccer League (1968–1984) coaches
Expatriate soccer managers in the United States
United States men's national soccer team managers
Association football fullbacks
American expatriate soccer coaches
Greek expatriates in the United States
American Olympic coaches