Full name John Anastasiadis Name John Anastasiadis Role Football player | Years Team Position Coach 1987–1988 Heidelberg United Current team Bentleigh Greens SC | |
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Date of birth (1968-08-13) 13 August 1968 (age 47) Playing position | ||
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia | ||
John Anastasiadis previews Sunday's Grand Final against South Melbourne
John Anastasiadis (born 13 August 1968 in Melbourne, Australia) is a former Australian football (soccer) player of Greek background.
Contents
- John Anastasiadis previews Sundays Grand Final against South Melbourne
- Club career
- Managerial career
- References
Club career
Anastasiadis began his career at Heidelberg United before being signed by the Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki FC at the age of 19. He made his debut in 1988 and became an influential part of the team, playing in 18 Alpha Ethniki matches, 5 cup games and 24 friendlies in the 1988/89 season, scoring 12 goals in total. He also took part in the club's brief 1990/91 and 1991/92 UEFA Cup campaigns. Anastasiadis played a total of 382 (203 league, 52 cup) matches and scored 66 (24 league, 3 cup) goals in his 9 years at the club as a striker.
Anastasiadis left PAOK in 1997 to return to Australia, where he joined NSL side South Melbourne FC. He played a key attacking role which helped the club to win back-to-back championships in the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons, scoring goals in both grand final victories: once in the 1997/98 final, past his brother Dean Anastasiadis who was in goal for Carlton; and two goals in the 1998/99 Grand Final against Sydney United as a substitute. He also represented the club at the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, scoring the team's only goal (and Australia's first in the tournament) of the competition against Mexican side Necaxa. He played his last professional game in the 2000/01 NSL grand final against the Wollongong Wolves, coming off the bench to score a goal, once again past his brother Dean who was in goal for the opposition. He finished his playing career fully in 2003 playing in the lower Victorian leagues with Yarraville Glory, as captain-coach.
John Anastasiadis is an Honorary Life Member of Melbourne Club PAOK, The official PAOK Thessaloniki Supporters Club of Australia.
Managerial career
After retirement from playing, and with Yarraville relegated under his stewardship in 2003, he managed to get the side promoted back the next season. In 2005, with the return of South Melbourne to the Victorian Premier League after the disbandment of the NSL competition, Anastasiadis put his hand up for the job which few wanted. Despite taking charge of a young squad which was quickly assembled merely weeks before the start of the new season, and which was labelled as a relegation candidate at the start of the year, Anastasiadis led the side to 3rd place on the ladder at the end of the season and as far as the Preliminary Final, where the team lost 1-0 to Heidelberg United and was knocked out. Retained as coach for the 2006 VPL season, he led South Melbourne to victory in the grand final of the Vodafone Cup competition. After failing to make the finals in 2007, South's poor start in 2008 saw Anastasiadis resign.
After 3 years at South, John moved to the Oakleigh Cannons (3yrs) before being appointed as Head Coach at Bentleigh Greens (from 2011). Since the move to Bentleigh, John has seen his team reach the semi finals of the inaugural FFA Cup (2014) and currently has 8 of his former club players signed to A-League clubs.
John completed his AFC/FFA B Accredited Coaching Course in 2011, and is due to complete his AFC/FFA A Accredited Coaching Course in 2015.