Lakis Papaioannou

Lakis Papaioannou
Personal information
Full name Apostolos Papaioannou
Date of birth (1956-10-05) 5 October 1956
Place of birth Katerini, Greece
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
?–1970 A.O. Katerinis
1970–1973 Pierikos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1979 Pierikos 92 (32)
1979–1986 Iraklis 179 (36)
1986–1988 PAOK 44 (5)
1988–1991 PAS Giannina
1991–1992 APS Patrai
International career
1977–1987 Greece 38 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Apostolos "Lakis" Papaioannou (Greek: Απόστολος "Λάκης" Παπαϊωάννου; born 5 October 1956) is a retired Greek professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Papaioannou began playing football with the youth sides of A.O. Katerinis and then Pierikos. In 1973, he made his senior debut for Pierikos in Beta Ethniki. Papaioannou helped Pierikos to gain its promotion to the Alpha Ethniki in 1975, and played for the club until 1979 when it was relegated to the regional leagues.[1] Alpha Ethniki side Iraklis signed Papaioannou in 1979 and played for Iraklis until city rivals PAOK signed him in 1986.[2]

Papaioannou helped PAOK to consecutive second-place finishes in the league, and then joined PAS Giannina in 1988. His finished his career with APS Patrai in 1992. In total Papaioannou made over 500 appearances in the Greek first and second divisions.[1]

International career

Papaioannou made 38 appearances and scored two goals for Greece from 1977 to 1987.[3] He made his debut as a second-half substitute in a 6–1 friendly defeat to Romania on 21 September 1977.[4]

Post retirement

After Papaioannou retired from playing, he became a football scout. He led the scouting and recruiting efforts for Arsenal F.C.'s new elite football academy in Loutraki.[5]

Personal life

Lakis Papaioannou is married to Konstantina Tarantzopoulou or otherwise Dina Papaioannou, a performer in northern Greece. His daughter, Eleana, is a pop singer.

References

  1. ^ a b Kolokotsios, Lambros (27 June 2010). Αθλητικοί Φάκελοι (ΛΑΚΗΣ ΠΑΠΑΪΩΑΝΝΟΥ) [Sporting Capsules (Lakis Papaioannou)] (in Greek). Evrytania News. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011.
  2. ^ Mastrogiannopoulos, Alexander (17 May 2003). "Greece 1986/87". RSSSF.
  3. ^ Mamrud, Roberto (29 February 2012). "Greece – Record International Players". RSSSF.
  4. ^ Mastrogiannopoulos, Alexander (25 September 2004). "Greece – International Matches 1971-1980". RSSSF.
  5. ^ "Arsenal launch elite academy in Greece". Arsenal.com. 2 April 2011.