What's the score with Greece?
Posted on 14/12/2007
Greece was a newcomer at the Copenhagen 2007 Homeless World Cup and made an immediate impression picking up the Fairplay Award. How is the team fairing now? We went to find out:
Nikiforos Sdralias, Captain, admits that even today he finds it hard to give an accurate account of his inner feelings and
the way the unique experience of Greece's baptism of fire at the Homeless World Cup affected his life:
“The pleasure of playing football not against but with people from all over the world who share the same problems with me was such a tremendous experience. After the final whistle of each game, the scoreboard never really mattered. I was just so happy to have interacted with all these people, to have made so many friends even if we never got to exchange a single word!"
“The Copenhagen experience has had a huge impact on my life and the way I think. Most importantly, participation in such an important global event made me believe in myself. Believe that through hard work, I can make things happen, I can have my dreams turned into reality. I have the self-confidence and the motivation to move forward in my life."
And moving forward he is. Nikiforos used to live in the streets of Athens until he joined “Theseas Drug Rehabilitation Program” and last April joined the Greek Homeless World Cup Team.
“I have come to realize how important it is to be setting targets for yourself. Set your target and then go out and attain it.” He encourages everyone to do it. As a result, Nikiforos is looking forward to completing the rehab program in the next few months. In the meantime he has started work in the retail sector and has just rented his first apartment.
“I just want to say thank you to all those involved with the Homeless World Cup for the opportunity that they gave me to prove to myself that I can make it. It was a dream come true.”
Christoforos Tzavidis, the team’s top goal scorer, has been kicking some goals in life, too. Christoforos is just about to complete the Theseas Drug Rehabilitation Program himself. After his return from Copenhagen, he attended seminars on Religious Icongraphy and he is currently doing a journalism course. It is a heavy schedule, if one takes into account that he works as a driver in the morning hours. It is a wonder that he finds time for training but, then again, Christoforos has always been a strong-willed person.
Efthimis Davettas is going down the media path as well. In September he enrolled in a cameraman / television technician course. He boasts that he hasn’t missed a single class. He does his cameraman apprenticeship on a part-time basis with a professional crew that he met during the Homeless Team’s training sessions, producing a documentary on the Greek Team. Efthimis is attending the 18ANO drug rehabilitation program.
Nick Anastasopoulos was the youngest player of the Greek squad. Nick, after some tough years on the streets, found the strength to deal head to head with his drug addiction. He joined 18ANO and, early last year, became a member of the Greek Homeless Team. Nick has decided to go back to High School to get his Certificate. He claims to be the ‘best student in the class’ and we believe him. In addition, lately he has started work in a bonbonniere business!
Goalkeeper Stamatis Chrysostomidis would demand a “new contract” and a pay rise after each goal saved in Copenhagen. His demands would rapidly subside after each blunder… Stamatis is attending 18ANO, looking to change his life around after a few tough years, as he reluctantly calls them.
Over the last couple of months, Mohamed Abusahma has been attending a Greek language course (he is of Libyan descent who has only recently settled in Athens), he works part-time in the building and construction sector and is so desperately seeking to build his own football career –admittedly, Mohamed was the most technically gifted player of the Team.
Ali Hawrami is independently living at a migrant guest house in Central Athens, has a full time job and a huge appetite for football and love for his friends in the Team.
Finally, Dimitrios Paraskevas, 63, was the oldest member of the team in Copenhagen. He has not missed a single day of training! Dimitris is still living at the City of Athens Guest House for the Homeless. He treasures the Copenhagen experience and has set a new target for himself: To learn English!
