22 hours Ago By Evan Bartlett
Half an hour in the company of Gus Poyet makes you wonder why there is not more demand for the services of one of football ’s infectiously enthusiastic figures. Our chat is set up to give an inside track on England’s Nations League opponents Greece , who Poyet managed for two years until his contract was not renewed in March, but freewheels all over the place – from the “genius” of Brighton owner Tony Bloom to the decline of defending via a recent job interview in South Korea that left him “absolutely mystified” that he missed out on the gig. “In the summer I was convinced I would get something.
Of course timing is so important in football,” he says, with a glint in his eye. Of course as an attacking, dynamic midfielder for Chelsea he scored some of the more important goals of an era that paved the way for the later success under Roman Abramovich and means he never has to buy a drink in certain corners of west London. Read Next No wonder Tuchel is branded a mercenary - he won't even turn up to England games Poyet admits that his managerial CV means he is now viewed as something an itinerant manager, a fact that makes for some interesting enquiries from some far-flung leagues.
But he yearns to return to English football, describing it as a “dream”. He believes he is up to the challenge of managing in the Premier League again but the Championship “is a very interesting league”. “It’s difficult because in England if you’re away for a little while you get out of the circle ,” he admits.
Poyet talks like he played: relentless, energetic, not missing a beat. He was a key part of Greece’s revival, helping them to win an impressive promotion from Nations League Group C and setting “standards” that he witnessed in their statement win at Wembley last month. “Same group, same mentality, same momentum,” he tells i .
That he is not in Athens to oversee Greece’s game against his adopted nation England this week is a source of regret but he has been hugely impressed by his successor Ivan Jovanovic and has “learned” from the one big change the new manager has made: eliminating his rule that “eight or nine” players were essentially undroppable. Read Next Enzo Fernandez's Chelsea career is crumbling His confident proclamation that Greece are a “coming force” in European football bodes ill for Lee Carsley’s green horns, who require nothing less than a victory to secure automatic promotion from Group 2. “For sure they can shock England again,” he says.
There is a bigger, more powerful motivation for Greece’s class of 2024, who are still mourning the loss of teammate George Baldock , the former Sheffield United defender who died at the age of 31 after being found in his swimming pool at his apartment in Athens. For the only time in the interview Poyet draws a deep breath when asked to speak about Baldock, a player he capped for the first time and was “desperate” to make a part of his team. So much so Poyet recalls offering to go with him to the Greek to speed up his naturalisation process.
“When he got the chance to play for me he just never gave it up. An outstanding footballer but more than that he gave joy to everyone,” he says. He recalls being frozen in a state of shock when he got a text to say Baldock had passed.
“It was bad, so bad,” he says, puffing out his cheeks. “I was due to go and see the Greece players at their hotel in London before the game at Wembley last month and shortly before that I found out. I couldn’t believe it.
You just don’t know what to say, you don’t know what to do. Read Next One of the weirdest relegation escapes in English football history “I decided to go to the hotel to be close to the guys. It was an encounter with 20 odd players and were all mute.
They couldn’t talk. “I was still in touch with George when he passed, I was in touch a lot. That was not only because of the relationship but he was very close to my son Diego, they were friends – they were a similar age, they had a relationship from MK Dons.
“We take everything for granted so much and then something like this happens and it wakes you up. I was at the funeral and it was very tough to be there. A very difficult day.
It was horrible to be at. “It hit me very hard. It was sad, really, really bad and it has been very hard to come to terms with it.
” He says the Greek players are determined to honour Baldock’s legacy by completing a historic double over England. “I think it was incredible the players were able to pay tribute by winning at Wembley ,” he says. You start asking yourself in those situations – and I know some people believe more than other people depending on your religion – did they get a little bit of help from somewhere above? “Was someone pushing a little bit more, from somewhere? I definitely think the players got that little bit.
They were outstanding that day in a very difficult situation. Who knows if there is something there or looking over them? They are a special group of people, that is for sure.” Gus Poyet was speaking courtesy of Freebets.
