A few weeks ago, Argirios Giannikis was still facing the axe at 1860 Munich – now he is in demand abroad.
And this report is also further proof of how fast-paced the soccer business is. Just a few weeks ago, Argirios Giannikis still had to fear for his job as third division coach of TSV 1860 Munich.
After a winning streak and now four wins and five defeats in the league, the 44-year-old soccer coach is back in the saddle.
Dr. Christian Werner, Managing Director of Sports at TSV 1860 Munich, was very pleased with the team’s development and recently said: “I am totally convinced by our team. Of course, I can’t deny that we haven’t seen the style of play we want to see yet, but the team will develop there. We are on the right track. We also know that it’s not going to be easy. I don’t just want to say that it’s a process, that’s too easy for me. We haven’t been together for just two days. I would like to think that we’ve come a step further. That’s our internal analysis. We think we know what the problem is and we’re trying to get where we want to be as quickly as possible.”
Whether that will be the case with Giannikis is open. Because, as reported by Greek media, the former coach of VfR Aalen and Rot-Weiss Essen is a hot candidate at Asteras Tripoli. Here, after only three games, former French world star Claude Makelele (who played for Real Madrid, Chelsea and Paris St. Germain, among others) has thrown in the towel.
Is Giannikis now leaving Munich for Greece? In any case, he has already left his mark in the Super League. Between 2019 and 2021, Giannikis first coached PAS Giannina, leading the club into the first division and being voted “Coach of the Year” – Forecasting reported. AEK Athens took notice and signed Giannikis. Now he could move to Tripoli.
First steps as head coach at RWE
The German-Greek Giannikis worked his way up from the youth to the first team as an assistant coach under Markus Kauczinski at Karlsruher SC (2007 to 2016) and then moved to FC Ingolstadt together with his head coach (2016). Giannikis then took his first steps as a head coach at Hafenstraße.
The Nuremberg-born coach took over Rot-Weiss Essen as successor to Sven Demandt, who had led the team to 13th place in the 2017/18 Regionalliga West after eleven matchdays. After RWE even dropped to 15th place with two further defeats under interim coach Carsten Wolters, Giannikis managed to lead the Esseners out of the relegation zone. On match day 29, with the team in ninth place, the two parted ways. Giannikis moved to VfR Aalen.