This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/29/greece-crisis-hope-world-cup-costa-rica

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Greece give crisis-weary nation hope and pride on World Cup stage Greece give crisis-weary nation hope and pride on World Cup stage
(about 2 hours later)
Greece’s Portuguese coach, Fernando Santos, says it straight. The night before his team’s extraordinary – some would say miraculous – World Cup performance on Tuesday, he told players they had just one priority: to score goals. “I don’t care who does it. If it is [the goalkeeper Orestis] Karnezis that will be fine with me.” Against all odds they did just that, beating Ivory Coast 2-1 with a last-gasp penalty pulled off by an icily cool Giorgos Samaras.Greece’s Portuguese coach, Fernando Santos, says it straight. The night before his team’s extraordinary – some would say miraculous – World Cup performance on Tuesday, he told players they had just one priority: to score goals. “I don’t care who does it. If it is [the goalkeeper Orestis] Karnezis that will be fine with me.” Against all odds they did just that, beating Ivory Coast 2-1 with a last-gasp penalty pulled off by an icily cool Giorgos Samaras.
Now, as the Greek side prepares to enter the World Cup’s knockout stages for the first time, Santos is subjecting the team to endless videos of their opponents, Costa Rica, and the tactics it subscribes to on the field. And, according to insiders travelling with the team in Brazil, he is imploring his players to “defend, defend, defend”. Now, as the Greek side prepare to enter the World Cup’s knockout stages for the first time, Santos is subjecting the team to endless videos of their opponents, Costa Rica, and the tactics he wants them to subscribes to on the field. And, according to insiders travelling with the team in Brazil, he is imploring his players to “defend, defend, defend”.
That won’t be hard. Greece may have played the Elephants with a verve and passion not seen since they won the European Championships in 2004, but at home even their staunchest supporters accept that theirs is a tsou-kou, tsou-kou game – one based entirely on defence. That will not be hard. Greece may have played the Elephants with a verve and passion not seen since they won the European Championships in 2004 but at home even their staunchest supporters accept that theirs is a tsou-kou, tsou-kou game – one based entirely on defence.
“Our tactics have been the same in all the games,” said Santos. “To stay tight in defence to contain the opponents and stay dangerous in attack.”“Our tactics have been the same in all the games,” said Santos. “To stay tight in defence to contain the opponents and stay dangerous in attack.”
Put another way, Greece play not to lose. It’s austerity football for an austerity nation. “Which is why everyone was so amazed when they played real football against the Ivory Coast,” says Pavlos Tzimas, a prominent commentator who found himself watching his TV screen in wide-eyed disbelief when the team went on the counterattack in Fortaleza and played like tigers. “For the first time they weren’t playing not to lose. They were playing to win.” Put another way, Greece play not to lose. It is austerity football for an austerity nation. “Which is why everyone was so amazed when they played real football against the Ivory Coast,” says Pavlos Tzimas, a prominent commentator who found himself watching his TV screen in wide-eyed disbelief when the team went on the counterattack in Fortaleza and played like tigers. “For the first time they weren’t playing not to lose. They were playing to win.”
Whatever their performance against Costa Rica in Recife on Sunday night, Greece’s qualification for the last 16 has already lit up a nation that has had very little to celebrate in recent years. “We really hope we can make the people happy back home,” said Samaras as he emerged sweat-soaked from the pitch. Whatever their performance against Costa Rica in Recife on Sunday night, Greece’s qualification for the last 16 has lit up a nation that has had very little to celebrate in recent years. “We really hope we can make the people happy back home,” said Samaras as he emerged sweat-soaked from the pitch.
And they did.And they did.
From Athens to Melbourne, London to Astoria, Greeks took to streets, forgetting their financial woes in scenes of jubilation not seen since the teams surprised bookies and fans worldwide to lift the European Championship 10 years ago. From Athens to Melbourne, London to Astoria, Greeks took to streets, forgetting their financial woes in scenes of jubilation not seen since the team surprised bookies and fans worldwide to lift the European Championship 10 years ago.
Although it was nearly 2am in Athens by the time Samaras had struck his winning goal, his namesake the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, spared no time sending a congratulatory telegram to the team: “Once again you have made all Greeks proud,” it declared. Although it was nearly 2am in Athens by the time Samaras struck his winning goal, his namesake the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, spared no time sending a congratulatory telegram to the team: “Once again you have made all Greeks proud,” it declared.
“I am Greek, and so I was born proud, but what they did when they won that game was make me feel beautiful,” said Theodoros Pallikaras, a fiftysomething taxi driver. “Every cab driver in Athens is going to go home early to catch the game on Sunday. We want to be there to see the winning goal!” “I am Greek and so I was born proud but what they did when they won that game was make me feel beautiful,” said Theodoros Pallikaras, a fiftysomething taxi driver. “Every cab driver in Athens is going to go home early to catch the game on Sunday. We want to be there to see the winning goal!”
Pride is an important ingredient for a nation that at the epicentre of the euro debt crisis for the past five years has emerged feeling battered and humiliated. “My son is nine and has been jumping for joy at this surprise win,” says Despoina Vitali, a working mother in Athens. “Like all kids here he has had very little to celebrate. I keep telling him that every country has its ups and downs but even I have been taken aback at how ecstatic he is.”Pride is an important ingredient for a nation that at the epicentre of the euro debt crisis for the past five years has emerged feeling battered and humiliated. “My son is nine and has been jumping for joy at this surprise win,” says Despoina Vitali, a working mother in Athens. “Like all kids here he has had very little to celebrate. I keep telling him that every country has its ups and downs but even I have been taken aback at how ecstatic he is.”
On the island of Crete, a museum dedicated solely to the national team – one of the few of its kind on the continent of Europe – has been hastily arranging three-day trips for fans to fly to Brazil. “It’s last-minute but the tickets are being snapped up,” said Dimitris Kotsellis, a volunteer. “Our new slogan is: ‘Costa Rica, Costa Rica, get ready. It’s your turn next!’” On the island of Crete a museum dedicated solely to the national team – one of the few of its kind on the continent of Europe – has been hastily arranging three-day trips for fans to fly to Brazil. “It’s last-minute but the tickets are being snapped up,” said Dimitris Kotsellis, a volunteer. “Our new slogan is: ‘Costa Rica, Costa Rica, get ready. It’s your turn next!’”
Across Athens cafes and bars are also getting ready: installing TV sets outside premises in preparation for the World Cup match few would ever have predicted. Across Athens cafes and bars are also getting ready: installing TV sets outside premises in preparation for the World Cup match few would have predicted.
“It feels a lot like 2004 when no one, not even us, believed that we could make it to the final, let alone win,” said Andreas Papalucas, a sports writer with the leading Ethnos newspaper. “Once again Greece is the outsider, its no one’s favourite.” “It feels a lot like 2004 when no one, not even us, believed that we could make it to the final, let alone win,” said Andreas Papalucas, a sports writer with the leading Ethnos newspaper. “Once again Greece is the outsider, it’s no one’s favourite.”
For the Costa Ricans, Greece will be their lowest-ranked opposition so far. Santos, who will be quitting after the tournament, says his team cannot afford “to underestimate” the Latin Americans. For the Costa Ricans Greece will be their lowest-ranked opposition so far. Santos, who will be quitting after the tournament, says his team cannot afford “to underestimate” the Latin Americans.
“But,” says Giorgos Karagounis (the captain and one of two survivors from the 2004 European champions), “we had passion and we had fight … and the heart of every Greeks keeps us playing against the odds.” “But,” says Giorgos Karagounis (the captain and one of two survivors from the 2004 European champions), “we had passion and we had fight … and the heart of every Greek keeps us playing against the odds.”
Neither Greece nor Costa Rica have ever made it to a World Cup quarter-final. On Sunday one of them will. And if it is Greece, euphoria will be given new meaning in a country more usually associated with crisis.Neither Greece nor Costa Rica have ever made it to a World Cup quarter-final. On Sunday one of them will. And if it is Greece, euphoria will be given new meaning in a country more usually associated with crisis.