Full name Anastasios Katsabis Years Team Position Defender -1992 Iraklis Neo Irakleio Height 1.88 m | Playing position Role Football player Name Anastasios Katsabis | |
Date of birth (1973-07-30) 30 July 1973 (age 42) | ||
Anastasios Katsabis (born 30 July 1973) is a former Greek football player, who lastly played for Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. in Greek Super League as a centre back. Katsabis started his career as a midfielder, but when at PAOK, Angelos Anastasiadis tried him as a centre back because of his height. It was by playing his new position that he gained his first call-up in the Ethniki.
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Early career
Katsabis started his career in the amateur club of Iraklis Neo Irakleio. In 1992, he got transferred to the semi-professional club Acharnaikos, at that time playing in the Delta Ethniki. Katsabis assisted the club to achieve its promotion to the Gamma Ethniki by scoring 6 goals. In the next season Katsabis was an automatic choice in the starting 11 of Acharnaikos missing just one match out of 34 and scoring 7 goals. His good performances attracted the attention of Alpha Ethniki club Panionios that signed him in the summer of 1994.
Panionios
Katsabis was titular in Panionios from his first season in the club. In the 1994–95 season he played in 29 matches and scored 2 goals, helping Panionios to avoid relegation. In his second season for the club he featured in 30 matches and scored 3 goals, but Panionios suffered relegation to the Beta Ethniki. Panionios was a firm favorite for promotion in the next season, and Katsabis propelled the club to winning the Betta Ethniki championship by scoring 11 goals in 31 games. The next season was the best of the club since years as the club won the Greek Cup. Katsabis was in the starting 11 of the final. In the league he featured in 28 matches and scored 5 goals. After the Greek Cup success Katsabis along with other teammates (Vokolos, Nalitzis, Fyssas), attracted the attention of the top clubs in Greece. He finally signed for PAOK in the summer transfer window of 1998.
PAOK
From day one Katsabis was an important first team player for PAOK. In his first season he helped PAOK to finish in the 4th position and win qualification to the UEFA CUP. In total he played in 31 matches and scored 4 goals. In his next season PAOK ended up in the 5th position in the league and Katsabis was once again mainly in the starting 11 (27 matches). The next season brought glory to both PAOK and Katsabis. PAOK won the Greek Cup. Katsabis captained the club in the final, a match held in Nikos Goumas Stadium, Athens that found PAOK victorious against Olympiacos by 4–2. In the league Katsabis featured in 23 matches and scored 2 goals. In his last season for the PAOK he played in 25 matches and scored 2 goals helping the club to achieve its 6th consecutive UEFA Cup qualification.
Iraklis
After his successful spell with PAOK Katsabis signed a contract with Iraklis Thessaloniki. He has proved himself indispensable for the club, as he is an automatic first team choice, in all nine years he plays for Iraklis. He featured in at least 22 matches each season (out of 30 possible) totaling over 200 appearances for the club, almost all as a starter. He debuted for Iraklis in a 3–0 victory against OFI in the 1st matchday of the 2002–03 season. His first goal was scored in the 16th minute of a match against Egaleo. It was the second goal of the team in a match that found Iraklis victorious by 2–0. From the 2006–07 season till his retirement he captained Iraklis. In a match against Atromitos, on 10 September 2010, in Peristeri Stadium Katsabis made his 400th appearance in the top tier of Greek football (Alpha Ethniki or Superleague). Katsabis retired in a match against former club PAOK. Before the match he honoured by both Iraklis and PAOK and he was given a standing ovation by Iraklis' supporters when he was substituted by Stamou in the 71st minute of the match.
International
Katsabis made nine appearances for the Greek national team. Katsabis debuted for Greece as a starter in an 1–0 win against Belgium on 5 February 1999 in Neo GSZ Stadium, Larnaca. He scored his sole goal in a friendly match against Salvador on 18 August 1999, in Kavala National Stadium. It was scored in the injury time of the match and was the last goal in a 3–1 win for Greece.
Club
Panionios
PAOK