Sotiris Ninis

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Sotiris Ninis
Personal information
Full name Sotiris Ninis
Date of birth April 3, 1990 (1990-04-03) (age 18)
Place of birth    Himarë, Albania
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position Right Midfielder
Club information
Current club Panathinaikos
Number 7
Youth clubs
2000–2001
2001–2003
2003–2006		 Giannis Pathiakakis Academies
Apollon Smyrnis[1]
Panathinaikos
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2006– Panathinaikos 17 (3)   
National team2
2007–
2008–		 Greece U21
Greece		 07 (1)
0 1 (1)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 17:42, 13 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 21:00, 19 May 2008 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Sotiris Ninis (Greek: Σωτήρης Νίνης born April 3, 1990 in Himarë, Albania) is a Greek[2][3][4] footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos.[5][6].

[edit] Club career

[edit] Panathinaikos

Ninis began his career in 2004 as a youngster in Panathinaikos' football academies, joining from feeder club Apollon Smyrnis. During these 2 years, he became an integral part of the Panathinaikos Youth Squad and his coaches believe him to be the next promising talent of Greek football. As a result, on December 22, 2006, the club directors offered him a 5 year contract and just 2 weeks after that day, on January 7, 2007, Panathinaikos coach Víctor Muñoz selected him in the main squad for the match against Egaleo in Olympic Stadium. His outstanding performance earned him the title of the Superleague Matchday MVP and he immediately became the hottest name in every Greek football quarter. He became the second youngest player ever to wear the club's shirt in a league match, at the age of sixteen (the first was Kostas Antoniou -15 years old- in 1978). In February 2007, he officially rejected a call to play for the Albanian Under-21 national team. On February 18, Ninis lead Panathinaikos in a 1–4 win over rivals AEK Athens in the Olympic Stadium. Ninis scored one goal and assisted two others. On July 6, Ninis signed a professional contract with Panathinaikos. It included a minimum fee release clause of 15,000,000 Euro from other Greek clubs, and 14,000,000 from any European clubs.[7]

The 2007/2008 was marred by injuries and non-selection. After coming on as a substitute against Olympiacos in the first game of the season, Ninis was hit by several injuries, a hamstring injury followed by stomach muscle injuries ruled him out of action for three months. It is thought that these injuries arose due to burnout from playing too many games at a young age. He eventually returned in December, but was not been part of the Panathinaikos first team for the remainder of the 2007-2008 season. This decision by Panathinaikos coach Jose Peseiro was heavily criticised by some fans.

[edit] International career

[edit] Greece U21

Ninis played with Greece national under-19 football team in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in Austria, where he scored the equaliser against Germany, assisted two others and helped his team to progress to the final.[8] Ninis was eventually selected by UEFA in the "U19 names to note", containing the best eleven players of the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. He was selected as the right midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation.

Ninis returned to duty for the Under-19 Elite qualifying round of the European Championships, after making his senior international debut. He was a key player in games against Moldova and the Netherlands, particularly impressing in the latter game. He assisted one goal, and scored the match winner from 12 yards as he kept Greece's hopes of qualification alive. His Man of the Match performance attracted scouts from Europe's Elite clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan[9], who were assigned to watch him against Russia on 29 May 2008.

[edit] Greece

Ninis was officially called up by Greece coach Otto Rehhagel on May 16, 2008 for the game against Cyprus on May 19.[10] This was Ninis' first ever senior call-up and offers him a chance to stake a claim for the Euro 2008 squad.Ninis, who impressed as Greece reached the final of last year's UEFA European Under-19 Championship, expressed his delight at the news, saying: "It's a dream come true and an extra motivation to work even harder and improve myself. I'm very happy."

On his debut Ninis scored the opening goal of the games vs Cyprus in the 5th minute, after a solid pass by Panathinaikos striker Dimitris Salpingidis, Ninis slotted the ball underneath Antonis Georgallides and into the back of the net making the perfect debut and start for his country and becoming the youngest ever scorer for Greece with 18 years and 46 days, breaking Kostas Eleftherakis' old record by 244 days. Ninis also won the Man of the Match award for his performance.[11] He was, however, omitted from Greece's provisional Euro 2008 squad by coach Otto Rehhagel on 20 May.

[edit] Other records

  • On January 27, 2007 Ninis became the second youngest Greek player (after Thomas Mavros) to score in the history of the Professional Greek League at the age of 16 years, 8 months and 17 days.
  • On February 15, 2007 Ninis became the youngest player to participate with a Greek football team in a European cup match, against RC Lens in France.
  • In December 2007, Ninis won the HFF Young Player of the Year, as voted by fellow players and managers. Ninis is the youngest player to have won this award.
  • He was awarded Greek nationality only after his successful exploits in the football pitch, having carried an Albanian passport solely until then. However he chose to represent Greece over Albania because he is of Greek descent.
  • On May 19, 2008 Ninis became the youngest ever player to score for Greece. This was the day of his senior international debut for Greece.

[edit] Honours

Individual

  • Greek Young player of the year: 2007
  • Named in UEFA U-19 European Championships 2007 "Names to Note"; the best 11 players of the tournament. This is particularly noteworhty, as Ninis had just turned 17 when the tournament took place; he was one of the youngest players competing.

Team

  • UEFA U-19 European Championships Silver medal (Greece).

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sotir Nini's whois
  2. ^ Player's bio in PAO's official site
  3. ^ Article in Contra.gr
  4. ^ Article in Goalday.gr
  5. ^ Official site of Greek Super league
  6. ^ PAO's official site
  7. ^ Åëåõèåñïôõðßá - Óõìâüëáéá ìå õøçëÝò ñÞôñåò êáé ðñéì óõììåôï÷þí
  8. ^ UEFA Euro U19 Match Stats
  9. ^ Arsenal, Man Utd, Milan & Real Madrid Eager To Sign Panathinaikos Youngster | Premiership Latest Football News
  10. ^ Dream comes true as Greece select Ninis
  11. ^ Record-breaker Ninis stars for Greece

[edit] Links

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Panathinaikos FC – current squad

1 Galinović • 3 Sarriegi • 4 Mattos • 5 Morris • 6 Darlas • 7 Ninis • 8 Goumas • 9 Romero • 11 Papadopoulos • 14 Salpigidis • 15 Fyssas • 18 Malarz • 19 Šerić • 20 Leontiou • 21 Karagounis • 22 Tziolis • 23 Simão • 24 Vyntra • 25 N'Doye • 27 Ivanschitz • 29 Nilsson • 30 Dimoutsos • 31 Spyropoulos • 32 Pantidos • 33 Karnezis • 35 Ntantamis • 36 Manucho • 38 Boutzikos • - Cleyton • Manager: Ten Cate