The return and the Maracana
In December 1996, PAOK informed Anastasiadis that his contract would not be renewed the following season, leaving him free to pursue other options. After six unhappy months at Edessaikos, Anastasiadis and his wife decided that the time was right to return to Australia.
He initially trialled with Carlton, but manager Eddie Krncevic decided to sign Kresimir Marusic instead, a move Anastasiadis describes as a “blessing in disguise.” He was then picked up by South Melbourne, where he spent the next the next four seasons, helping Hellas win two NSL Championships under the stewardship of Ange Postecoglou.
“I had four great years at South Melbourne, where I learnt a lot from Ange and played alongside a great bunch of boys,” Anastasiadis explains.
“We had a very good team and thoroughly deserved both Championships.”
In his first season at Lakeside, Anastasiadis returned to haunt Carlton in the Grand Final, opening the scoring – past brother Dean – in a 2-1 victory over their rivals at a packed out Olympic Park. He would again create headlines next season, this time against Sydney United, scoring with his first touch in the final after coming on as 63rd minute substitute, before sealing a late victory with another goal.
Success in the NSL bred more success continentally, as the club won the Oceania Champions League and booked their ticket to the newly formed FIFA World Club Championships in Brazil in 2000. There, the Oceania Champions drew global giants Manchester United, Copa Libertadores holders Vasco da Gama, and CONCACAF champions Necaxa, which Anastasiadis fondly recalls as a “massive occasion” and “phenomenal experience”.
“Playing in the Maracana against the likes of Manchester United and scoring [against Necaxa], the only Australian to date to score at the Maracana, is something that will stay with you forever, it was a great honour and you don’t forget those days,” he says.
“Everyone thought that we would get smashed five or six nil but we did not disgrace ourselves, giving the likes of Manchester United and Vasco da Gama [featuring Romario] a run for their money.”
Upon their return to Australia, South Melbourne were once again in the running for the 2000/2001 NSL title but fell short at the final hurdle, losing out 2-1 to the Wollongong Wolves. A late goal from Anastasiadis – once again past brother Dean – proved mere consolation as the forward and South failed to win a third NSL crown in four years. It would be his final career game.
Socceroos “regret”
Despite Anastasiadis’ many playing achievements, one major honour is missing from his CV – a Socceroos cap. Anastasiadis describes not playing for Australia internationally as a “regret of mine, although I did make a plea to then Socceroos coach Eddie Thomson for a call up”.
“The story goes that he [Eddie Thomson] had an informant in the region who did not rate the Greek league highly, but we will never know.”
Anastasiadis was not alone. Chris Kalantzis featured for both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos but was never called up during his time there, Jim Patikas made over 140 appearances at AEK but received no call up, while Louis Christodoulou of Panathinaikos was another one of Australia’s exiled Greek stars.
On national selection, Anastasiadis is glad more Australians are now offered the opportunity to represent the Green and Gold by current coach Ange Postecoglou. “Ange [Postecoglou] is spreading the wings for every player to get a chance and that is all I asked but that I never got that chance and it is good to see that the mentality nowadays has changed”.
Coaching
Shortly after his retirement, the former PAOK striker set his sights on easing into coaching, but admits he “was thrust into it,” by his father’s former club Yarraville Glory in Victoria’s state leagues in 2003/04, having not always aspired to be a manager.
With the demise of the NSL in 2004, South Melbourne’s future hung in the balance. As the financially stricken club prepared for the 2005 Victorian Premier League, Anastasiadis was appointed to the role of senior coach at his former club, where in his first training session only three players showed up, one of whom was Dean.
Despite the adversities, “in my first year at the club, we narrowly missed the Grand Final before going one step better the next season and winning it”. Many of his squad members would go onto to earn A-League contracts, including Dino Djulbic, Jonas Salley and Steven O’Dor.
In 2008, Anastasiadis was appointed coach of Oakleigh Cannons, but despite assembling an impressive squad, the team struggled for results and consistency during his time at Jack Edwards Reserve. One of the lowlights was the 2010 season, where despite leading the competition early, the club “crashed like a steam train” outside the top six. Despite the lack of success at the club, future Socceroo Ivan Franjic and eventual A-League players Nick Kalmar and Cameron Watson were all unearthed under his stewardship at the Cannons.
Stressed and needing a break from football, Anastasiadis took half a year out of the game before answering the call from a Bentleigh Greens hierarchy hungry for success. Since taking over the reins in mid-2011, Anastasiadis has steered the club to two finals series, a Grand Final and the semi-finals of the inaugural FFA Cup.
This time around, Anastasiadis is “hoping to go as far as possible on all fronts in 2015”.
“There is no doubt that we have recruited quite well this term, and it is all up to us if we want to win the ultimate prize,” he states.
A-League?
As he prepares his side for a blockbuster against former employers South Melbourne, Anastasiadis has no hesitation about his future ambitions.
“Absolutely [I want to coach in the A-League]. I have made a decision and that is what I want to happen with that being logically the next phase of my coaching development,” he claims.
“I have nearly finished my A-License, and will then proceed to complete my Pro License, so I am going through all the channels and am learning everyday about football as you never stop learning.
“It can be difficult given there are 10 senior roles in the A-League plus maybe a further 10 assistant roles, but you never say never and you can only do what is in your backyard, and that at the moment that is Bentleigh Greens, where we are trying to win as many trophies as possible.”