Ranieri says he has little to change in Greek national team

By George Georgakopoulos

The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) presented Claudio Ranieri as the new Greece coach for the next couple of years, after the Italian manager signed his contract in Athens on Friday.

“I liked the spirit of the team and there is not that much I wish to change in it for now,” said Ranieri who starts his first coaching stint at a national team.

“Although I also had some other proposals, as soon as I met with the [EPO] president [Giorgos Sarris] I got a good feeling. I had already known the Greek national team and I decided this would be a very good move, to come here and undertake the team following the invitation by the president,” added 63-year-old Ranieri, who takes over from Fernando Santos.

The former Monaco manager said that his target obviously is qualification to the Euro 2016 finals, and that he is not planning to have any Greeks in his coaching staff.

Sarris stated that “this is an opportunity for us to go to a higher level and I am adamant he will make it. EPO will do everything possible to support him.”

Greece has been drawn in the same Euro 2016 qualifying group as Romania, Finland, Hungary, Northern Ireland and the Faroe Islands. In its opening game Greece hosts Romania on September 7.