Mario Eliopoulos shed light on the decision-making process behind AEK's appointment of Serbian coach Marko Nikolits in a recent video interview. Eliopoulos discussed the five initial candidates and a pivotal 5.5-hour meeting in Belgrade that solidified his choice.
The Greek league leader's comments came during a celebration event with Nikolits and the team present, shortly after AEK's successful season.
"The Only One That Clicked Was Marko"
Eliopoulos spoke warmly about AEK's new coach, describing him as a "great character and our friend." Initially, he had five candidates to choose from, which he reviewed in video form. Nikolits stood out immediately.
“The only one that clicked was Marko,” Eliopoulos emphasized. After that, the decision became clearer. Eliopoulos decided to meet only Nikolits in person before proceeding further.
The Decisive Meeting in Belgrade
The next step was a trip to Belgrade, where Eliopoulos and Nikolits had a 5.5-hour meeting to lay the groundwork for their future cooperation. Eliopoulos stated, “We said what we needed to say, and that's how we got here.”
Eliopoulos concluded by calling for a big round of applause for AEK's new coach.
AEK made the right call with Nikolits! But how will he handle the pressure in the new league? Let's see if he can replicate his success in Serbia.