May 8 – The Gate 13 ultras of Greek giant Panathinaikos, the club’s largest supporters group, have organised a protest rally calling for the resignation of president Giannis Alafouzos after 12 years in power.
The rally will take place on May 19 before the match against arch-rivals Olympiacos in the Greek Super League. Panathinaikos is currently in third place in the table but can’t win the Greek title.
Panathinaikos fans have become increasingly frustrated at the failure of the club to have won the Greek league for 12 years.
The Gate 13 fan group issued a statement demanding change.
“Twelve years since the day that Giannis Alafouzos took the shares of PAE from the Vardinogiannis family. 12 years without a vision, without a plan and plan, without Panathinaikos being managed with a Panathenaic mentality and with a dubious future that seems to be the same and worse!,” said the statement.
“Twelve years with a lot of pretexts and excuses, at first “for the exorbitant debts I took on”, then “I don’t have any more money to put in”, then for financial disaster due to Stramaccioni, then… then… Twelve years without winning a championship!!!
“Twelve years with the disappearance from the “map” of European competitions of the perennially greatest Greek team. Twelve years where the enemy Marinakis (Olympiakos owner) became at one point an opportunistic ally and even a friend! Twelve years without the slightest progress on the land problem.
“Twelve years where any coach builds a team of claims, suddenly gets fired “at night” with Alafouzou’s personal “inspiration”. Twelve years with this incredible guy who managed to desecrate even the memory of Michalis Filopoulos by not respecting anything in front of the altar of his connections.
Twelve years where the millions of Panathinaikos see the football department languishing and suffering. Twelve years of FAILURE signed by Alafouzou. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE… Let’s unite our voices. POULA AND EXAFANISOU Rally in the Field of Ares (one of the largest public parks in Athens), Sunday, May 19 .”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1716033115labto1716033115ofdlr1716033115owedi1716033115sni@o1716033115fni1716033115