Giannis Kanakis

Giannis Kanakis (Greek: Γιάννης Κανάκης; 27 August 1927 — 24 March 2016) was a Greek former professional footballer who played as a wide midfielder.

Club career

Early years

Kanakis started football at Elpida Kavalas and continued at AE Kavalas, competing in the defensive line.^[1] In 1949, he was transferred to AEK Athens following the suggestion of the manager, Kostas Negrepontis.

AEK Athens

At AEK, he was relocated in the position of the wide midfielder. After the retirement of club's star player, Kleanthis Maropoulos and the departure of Poulis, Kanakis became the team's captain. He was one of the team's leading players in the first half of the 1950s and with the arrival of Kostas Nestoridis in 1955, they formed an amazing offensive duo. On 24 June 1956, he won the Cup with AEK, scoring the winner with a power shot in the final 2–1 against Olympiacos.^[2] On 25 October 1959, he scored in the 3rd minute in the away match against Ethnikos Piraeus and became the first player in the history of Greek football who scored in the newly formed first national division.^[3][4][5] He managed to compete in 6 times in that season's championship scoring 2 goals.^[6] In the second round match against Ethnikos Piraeus at the Nea Filadelfeia Stadium, he was honored for his presence,^[7] before retiring as a footballer, passing on the captainancy of the team to Andreas Stamatiadis. With AEK he won 2 Cups and a Athens FCA League in 1950.^[8][9]

International career

Kanakis played for Greece once, in the away friendly 1–0 defeat against France B in Marseille on 14 October 1951.^[10]

He was also anointed an international with the Military team, scoring 10 goals, winning the World Military Cup in 1952 and scoring the winner against Belgium.^[11][12][13]

Personal life

Kanakis he worked at the PPC alongside his football career.^[9] After his retirement as a footballer he remained close to AEK and he even served them as curator from 1977 to 1979.^[14] He died on 24 March 2016, aged 88.^{[15][16][17][18]}

Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup: 1949–50, 1955–56
• Athens FCA League: 1950

Greece military

• World Military Cup: 1952

References

1. ^ "ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΚΑΝΑΚΗΣ: Ένας μεγάλος κανονιέρης από την Καβάλα στην ΑΕΚ". koinoniki.gr
2. ^ Γκόγκουλης, Ευάνθης. "OLD FOOTBALL - Κυπελλούχος με γκολάρα του Κανάκη". oldfootball.gr. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018.
3. ^ "ΑΕΚ: Σαν σήμερα ο Γιάννης Κανάκης πέτυχε το πρώτο γκολ στην Α’ Εθνική". pontosnews.gr. 25 October 2022.
4. ^ Καζαντζόγλου, Σταύρος (25 October 2020). "Ο μεγάλος Γιάννης Κανάκης της ΑΕΚ πέτυχε το πρώτο γκολ στην ιστορία της Α’ Εθνικής". enwsi.gr
5. ^ "Το ιστορικό γκολ του Γιάννη Κανάκη - 25/10 08:34". aek365.org
6. ^ "Ο Γιάννης Κανάκης ο θρύλος του ποδοσφαίρου :: Eykalipsis". eykalipsis.com. 4 December 2020.
7. ^ "Ποιος ήταν ο Γιάννης Κανάκης". aek-live.gr. 24 March 2016.
8. ^ "Το αφιέρωμα που έκανε τον ίδιο τον Γιάννη Κανάκη να κλάψει... (vid)". 24 March 2016.
9. ^ "Γιάννης Κανάκης". aekpedia.com
10. ^ "Greece matches 1951–1955". epo.gr
11. ^ "newsp. Athletic Echo, 8/3/1952". athlitikihxo.gr^{[dead link]}
12. ^ "newsp. Athletic Echo, 26/3/1952". athlitikihxo.gr^{[dead link]}
13. ^ "World Military Championship". RSSSF
14. ^ "Έφυγε ο Γιάννης Κανάκης!". aekfc.gr
15. ^ "Παλαίμαχος της ΑΕΚ έσβησε από ιατρική αμέλεια". zougla.gr
16. ^ "Έφυγε από τη ζωή ο Γιάννης Κανάκης". sport-fm.gr
17. ^ "Ο Γιάννης Κανάκης "έσβησε" από ιατρική αμέλεια!". sdna.gr. 25 March 2016.
18. ^ "Εφυγε ο μεγάλος αρχηγός της ΑΕΚ Γιάννης Κανάκης". efsyn.gr

External links

• Giannis Kanakis at aekfc.gr
• "History of AEK", collective work, Publications G.Ch. Alexandris, Athens 1996
• "Greece, March Through Time", V. Melecoglou-Agg. Mendrinos-Th. Davelos, "Papazisis Publications", Athens 2001