Giannokopoulos hoping for Liverpool move

[Gerrard8]

ATHENS (Reuters) - Bolton Wanderers midfielder Stelios Giannokopoulos says he is still keen to move to "a bigger club", with Liverpool his dream location.

 

In an interview in the Greek daily newspaper Eleftheros Typos on Monday, Giannokopoulos is quoted as saying: "I would give everything to go to Liverpool."

 

The 31-year, who was a member of the Greece team who won the 2004 European championship, was close to a move to Liverpool last year but talks between the two clubs failed to produce a deal and instead he signed a new three-year contract with Bolton.

 

"I have become more stubborn since last season when I didn't go to Liverpool - although their official proposal gave me moral satisfaction," said Giannokopoulos.

 

"That's my dream. Not only to go to Liverpool but, in general, to go to a bigger team. Then I would say that I have reached the peak of my career. That's my vision and I am working very hard every week to make Liverpool or any big team chase my signature."

 

Bolton are seventh in the Premier League, four places behind European champions Liverpool.

 

Giannokopoulos, however, who has scored 12 times for Bolton this season, including the first goal in Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Middlesbrough, did not rule out a return to Greece.

 

"I would rather stay and finish my career abroad. But if I come back to Greece it will only be for (former club) Olympiakos," he said.

 

Elsewhere in the interview he praised Manchester City's Greek striker Georgios Samaras.

 

"He is only 21 but he plays like a 29-year-old," he said. "He is very mature and very talented. If he continues with the same rhythm, then City will be too small to keep him. He is made for bigger stuff."

 

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticl...NNOKOPOULOS.xml

[liverbird04]

very strange ...

[cymrococh]

Think we're beyond the likes of him now.

[Knox_Harrington]

I'd have him. We need two right sided players.

[Barnesy_10]

don't need him.. would rather we got Malbranque to be honest...

we need more hair in the squad..

[psl]

I thought he'd be a useful signing then and I still do now. Gets a lot of goals from midfield and that's always useful.

[anny road]

I like Stelios tbh

 

But I think he may have missed his chance

[Bailo]

With the amount of money being bandied about at £42m, suddenly Alves seems more likely than unlikely - that should kibosh it with Gonzales in too.

Where's this £42m come from?!

[Ombudsam]

who's bandying about £42mill. I doubt the board will just give beni money to spend on transfer fees which wasn't realated to the wages he was paying the players

[Leo No.8]

who's bandying about £42mill. I doubt the board will just give beni money to spend on transfer fees which wasn't realated to the wages he was paying the players

 

'Beni'. Does he get chased round the training pitch by half-naked women?..

[Gomez]

And he'd be cheap, freeing money up for a terrific wide right and two excellent forwards.

 

Hasn't he signed a new contract? In which case he won't be as cheap as he would have been in the summer when we wouldn't pay it.

 

On a free, I'd take him as cover, I wouldn't pay any serious money for him. I think he blew his chance in the summer TBH.

[Ombudsam]

'Beni'. Does he get chased round the training pitch by half-naked women?..

 

The closest he got to that was when Kewell had to play in skins

[David Hodgson]

If we have to have 'fly' economy as opposed to fist class, in the transfer market this summer, then Stelios would easily jet straight onto my wish list.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

if he's cheap, ie 1 mio or less, why not?

 

Him or Victor would please me as backup for RM.

[Knox_Harrington]

If we have to have 'fly' economy as opposed to fist class, in the transfer market this summer, then Stelios would easily jet straight onto my wish list.

We need to to both still. If we are going to throw big money at two forwards and a right-winger then cheap cover for wide right becomes a requirement.

[Bailo]

if he's cheap, ie 1 mio or less, why not?

 

Him or Victor would please me as backup for RM.

I'd have Stelios over Victor 100million times.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I'd have Stelios over Victor 100million times.

 

so you would pay 500.000 x 100.000.000 £ for Stelios?

 

I think not!

[stressederic]

Fat Sam's not happy about these quotes.

 

 

Turns out we'd like him even less when he's angry.

[Bailo]

so you would pay 500.000 x 100.000.000 £ for Stelios?

 

I think not!

He's worth it

[Guest Red Mist]

We could have done with him this season but I'm sure Rafa has someone better in mind for 2006-07. IF we can get him for free or on the cheap i.e. practically free, then he'd still be a useful squad player.

[Ombudsam]

if he's cheap, ie 1 mio or less, why not?

 

Him or Victor would please me as backup for RM.

 

he was awful last night. i hope he plays better than that normally

 

I'd have Stelios over Victor 100million times.

 

 

We could have done with him this season but I'm sure Rafa has someone better in mind for 2006-07. IF we can get him for free or on the cheap i.e. practically free, then he'd still be a useful squad player.

 

could have done with Figo

[liverbird04]

I was reading AS.com (with help(?) from babelfish) and it said that victor remains hopefuly of coming to anfield in the summer.

[Bootle Buck]

I don't think we would sign him as a wide right player. However, he pops up in the box a lot for opportunistic chances and that we could use. I view him similar to Zenden, a good squad player that would do a job when called upon.

[McBain]

He signed a 3 year extension to his contract in the summer so I doubt he'll be cheap, even at 31

 

Plus Bolton by the sounds of it kiboshed the deal last summer. As they would no doubt try to do again should we still be interested

[Coyler]

I don't think we would sign him as a wide right player. However, he pops up in the box a lot for opportunistic chances and that we could use. I view him similar to Zenden, a good squad player that would do a job when called upon.

Speaking of whom, is he going to play this season again?