PAOK Legends

Please post information on PAOK legends here. Who do you think is a PAOK legend. who di you see as a hero when growing up to the world of PAOK?

Konstantinos "Kostas" Frantzeskos (born January 4, 1969) is a Greek footballer, best known for his deadly free-kick accuracy. He was regarded as one of the best free-kick specialists in Europe, and was dubbed "Mr.Free-kick" by fans in Greece.
After playing for Vouliagmeni, Frantzeskos started his Football A Division career in 1991 playing for:

• Panathinaikos (1991 - 1994)
  
• OFI (1995 - 1997)
  
• PAOK Thessaloniki FC (1997 - 2000)
  
• AO Kalamata (2001)
  
• Ionikos: 2002
  
• AEK Larnaca: (2003) (Cypriot Football A Division)
  
• Aris: (2003 - 2004)
  
• Proodeftiki (2005)
  

Frantzeskos has been capped 38 times by the National Football Team of Greece scoring 7 goals.

Frantzeskos winner against Arsenal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPvqlCJs3DQ

Zisis Vryzas





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Zisis Vryzas was born November 9, 1973 in Kavala, city of northern Greece, located in the region of the ancient Macedonia (Greece). He is a former player, striker of PAOK FC and Greek National team, which won the Euro 2004. He is, as of January 7 2008, the Technical Director of PAOK FC





Biography


Vryzas started his football career at the Thracian Club Skoda Xanthi where his talent attracted the interest of stronger domestic as well as foreign Clubs. In 1996, Zisis Vryzas was signed by the most popular northern Greek Club PAOK FC and moved in the capital of Macedonia (Greece), Thessaloniki, where he enjoyed great popularity among PAOK fans for his power, determination and devotion with which they describe his game and for scoring a large number of very important goals. The most significant memory of his career with PAOK FC was the fantastic equaliser (1-1) he scored at the 87th minute against Arsenal in Highbury, which resulted to hand PAOK a notable, "historical" qualification against the English "giants" who managed to remain unbeaten and win the double in the English Premier League the same year.
In 2000, while PAOK was struggling with endless financial problems due to the ineffective policy of debts and mismanagement of the main share-holder, consequently Vryzas was sold to the Italian Serie A and the relegation battlers A.C. Perugia. In Perugia, he once again gained popularity among the local fans for his work-rate and immediate adjustment to the new environment, which proved to be a key-factor for Perugia's constant presence in the Serie A, the years Zisis Vryzas and Serse Cosmi where there. His very positive performances with A.C. Perugia earned him a better(financially) contract in a Legendary Italian Club which at that point was struggling in Serie B, ACF Fiorentina; with ACF Fiorentina they managed to earn the promotion to Serie A and Vryzas played a decisive role to the battle of "Viola" to return where they used to play and deserved to be. In 2005, the Greek striker joined R.C. Celta de Vigo in a loan deal from Fiorentina with an option the deal to become permanent. The deal became permanent but the Greek striker eventually departed again to join another popular Club of norther Italy, Torino F.C. in January 2006 under a loan deal from R.C. Celta de Vigo until the end of his contract with the Spanish Club.
In the summer of 2006 Zisis Vryzas returned to Greece and in particular to the club and town where he started his professional career, Skoda Xanthi. In June 2007, he finally decided to join the Club "of his heart" and signed a two year contract with PAOK FC. There he found his old companion and team-mate of PAOK during the 1990s and the Greek National Team which won the Euro 2004 in Portugal, Theodoros Zagorakis who is the current president and share-holder of the Club. Vryzas stated upon his return to his beloved Club, that PAOK F.C. was an emotional choice and the last "stop" in his career which meant to be only in the Club he loved and was fan.

Although not a very prolific scorer, Vryzas' tenacious work ethic, his restless battles with the opposing defenders, his talent to create chances and open spaces for his attacking partners, in addition to his aerial ability and passing skills made him a valuable member of all the Clubs he played for, as well as the Greek National Team with which he won the European Championship in 2004. He was a notable member of the "first eleven" in Greece's victorious Euro 2004 team and scored a tremendous key-goal, a fine chip over the keeper, in Greece's 2-1 loss to Russia, which sent the tournament underdogs into the quarter-final.



Retirement and Career After Retirement


On January 6 2008, Zisis Vryzas played his last game of his successful football career at the home game of PAOK FC against Larissa F.C. at the legendary ground of PAOK FC Toumba Stadium ("Asia Minor" Stadium), a game which PAOK won 1-0, with a goal scored by Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, a goal which the scorer dedicated to Vryzas. Zisis Vryzas, actually came in as a substitution in the 82th minute of the game to replace Christodoulopoulos and was honoured by the fans with a standing ovation and with a long singing of his name which lasted until the end of the game and until Zisis Vryzas went to greet and thank them during his "goodbye round" of the stadium.

On January 8 2008, Zisis Vryzas was officially appointed as the Technical Director of PAOK FC; He joined in the Club's board his fellow and former team-mate in PAOK and Greek National Team, Theodoros Zagorakis who is the current Chairman and main shareholder of PAOK FC

Honours


Greece

• European Championship: 2004