Anastasios Katsabis

Anastasios "Tasos" Katsabis (Greek: Αναστάσιος "Τάσος" Κατσαμπής; born 30 July 1973) is a former Greek football player, who last played for Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. in Greek Super League as a centre back. Katsabis started his career as a midfielder but when he was played at PAOK, Angelos Anastasiadis tried him as a centre back because of his height.[1] It was by playing his new position that he gained his first call-up in the Ethniki.

Tasos Katsabis
Personal information
Full name Anastasios Katsabis
Date of birth (1973-07-30) 30 July 1973
Place of birth Athens, Greece
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
–1992 Iraklis Neo Irakleio
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Acharnaikos 34 (7)
1994–1998 Panionios 118 (21)
1998–2002 PAOK 106 (8)
2002–2011 Iraklis 223 (8)
Total 481 (44)
International career‡
1999–2001 Greece 9 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 January 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 July 2009

Club career

Early career

Katsabis started his career in the amateur club of Iraklis Neo Irakleio.[2] In 1992, he got transferred to the semi-professional club Acharnaikos, at that time playing in the Delta Ethniki. Katsabis assisted the club to achieve its promotion to the Gamma Ethniki by scoring 6 goals.[3] In the next season Katsabis was an automatic choice in the starting 11 of Acharnaikos missing just one match out of 34 and scoring 7 goals.[3] His good performances attracted the attention of Alpha Ethniki club Panionios that signed him in the summer of 1994.

Panionios

Katsabis was titular in Panionios from his first season in the club. In the 1994–95 season he played in 29 matches and scored 2 goals, helping Panionios to avoid relegation. In his second season for the club he featured in 30 matches and scored 3 goals,[3] but Panionios suffered relegation to the Beta Ethniki. Panionios was a firm favorite for promotion in the next season, and Katsabis propelled the club to winning the Betta Ethniki championship by scoring 11 goals in 31 games.[3] The next season was the best of the club since years as the club won the Greek Cup. Katsabis was in the starting 11 of the final. In the league he featured in 28 matches and scored 5 goals.[3] After the Greek Cup success Katsabis along with other teammates (Vokolos, Nalitzis, Fyssas), attracted the attention of the top clubs in Greece. He finally signed for PAOK in the summer transfer window of 1998.

PAOK

From day one Katsabis was an important first team player for PAOK. In his first season he helped PAOK to finish in the 4th position and win qualification to the UEFA CUP. In total he played in 31 matches and scored 4 goals.[3] In his next season PAOK ended up in the 5th position in the league and Katsabis was once again mainly in the starting 11 (27 matches).[3] The next season brought glory to both PAOK and Katsabis. PAOK won the Greek Cup. Katsabis captained the club in the final, a match held in Nikos Goumas Stadium, Athens that found PAOK victorious against Olympiacos by 4–2.[4] In the league Katsabis featured in 23 matches and scored 2 goals.[3] In his last season for the PAOK he played in 25 matches and scored 2 goals[3] helping the club to achieve its 6th consecutive UEFA Cup qualification.

Iraklis

After his successful spell with PAOK Katsabis signed a contract with Iraklis Thessaloniki. He has proved himself indispensable for the club being thought of as the first team choice during his nine years he played for Iraklis. He featured in at least 22 matches each season of a possible 30[3] totaling over 200 appearances for the club, most were as a starter.[3] He debuted for Iraklis in a 3–0 victory against OFI in the first matchday of the 2002–03 season.[5] His first goal was scored in the 16th minute of a match against Egaleo.[6] It was the second goal of the team in a match that found Iraklis victorious by 2–0. From the 2006–07 season till his retirement he captained Iraklis. In a match against Atromitos, on 10 September 2010, in Peristeri Stadium Katsabis made his 400th appearance in the top tier of Greek football (Alpha Ethniki or Superleague).[1] Katsabis retired in a match against former club PAOK.[7] He was lauded by Iraklis and PAOK with a standing ovation by the Iraklis' supporters when he was substituted by Stamou in the 71st minute of the match.[7]

International

Katsabis made nine appearances for Greece.[8] Katsabis debuted for Greece as a starter in a 1–0 win against Belgium on 5 February 1999 in Neo GSZ Stadium, Larnaca.[9] He scored his sole goal in a friendly match against Salvador on 18 August 1999, in Kavala National Stadium.[9] It was scored in the injury time of the match and was the last goal in a 3–1 win for Greece.

Honours

Club

Panionios

PAOK

Individual
  • '00 Greek Golden 11 nominee.[10]

References
  1. Τις έκανε τετρακόσιες και θέλει Κύπελλο (in Greek). Bluearena. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  2. "Anastasios Katsabis". Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. official site. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  3. Κατσαμπής Τάσος (in Greek). insports.gr. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  4. Κύπελλο 2000–2001 (PDF) (in Greek). Ε.Π.Ο. (Hellenic Football Federation). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  5. Ποδόσφαιρο: Ηρακλής-ΟΦΗ 3–0 (in Greek). The Hellenic Radio (ERA) via the Hellenic Resources Network (HR-Net). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  6. "Greece 2002/03". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 13 September 2010.
  7. "Το μόνο που άξιζε, ήταν το "αντίο" στον αρχηγό". Bluarena. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  8. ΕΘΝΙΚΕΣ ΟΜΑΔΕΣ > Εθνική Ομάδα Ανδρών (in Greek). Hellenic Football Federation. Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  9. "Εθνική Ανδρών 1996–2000" (PDF). Ε.Π.Ο. (Hellenic Football Federation). Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  10. "Οι Χρυσές ενδεκάδες". Superleage official website. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
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