logo
I played in Prem and for Panathinaikos, they'll beat Rangers

I played in Prem and for Panathinaikos, they'll beat Rangers

The National3 days ago
And he reckons his Greek countrymen simply have better players than Rangers.
Rangers face Panathinaikos tomorrow night at Ibrox in the huge second qualifying round tie before they have to travel to Athens for the return.
Ikonomou had two separate spells at County before winning a dream move to his homeland with Panathinaikos in 2018 and played there for two years.
And he's convinced the Greeks will be celebrating at the end of the second leg.
Read more:
He said: "I think Panathinaikos has a very good chance of getting through. Panathinaikos have better players than Rangers right now.
"For me, it's 70 per cent that Panathinaikos will qualify.
"I don't think either team are 100 per cent because it's so early in the season.
"But I believe continuity is another advantage for Panathinaikos because they have the same manager from last season and Rangers do not.
"From my experience in the Scottish league, Panathinaikos should be wary of the physical side of the game. And long balls. It is a characteristic of the country's football.
"Rangers will try to play with more quality and they do create a lot of chances at home.
"I know Ibrox is a big stadium with a great atmosphere and it's purely a football stadium, unlike the Olympic Stadium.
"But when the Olympic is full, it can be very intimidating.
"I don't think Rangers will have as much pressure to win as Panathinaikos.
"I really enjoyed my time in Scottish football with Ross County. It was a very good experience for me and I enjoyed the physicality of Scottish football.
"But I think Scottish football is a few steps lower in standard than Greek football."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jalmaro Calvin signs for St Mirren with more new faces on cards
Jalmaro Calvin signs for St Mirren with more new faces on cards

Daily Record

time25 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Jalmaro Calvin signs for St Mirren with more new faces on cards

The Jamaican winger, who played with Richard King at Cavalier, has joined his countryman in Paisley after he put pen to paper on a two-year deal. The welcome mat has been rolled out at St Mirren for Jalmaro Calvin as he became the club's ninth summer signing. ‌ The Jamaican international is reunited with team-mate Richard King just weeks after he departed the island's Premier League outfit Cavalier. ‌ The pacy winger has penned a two-year deal at the SMiSA Stadium with the club holding an option to extend terms for a further year. ‌ While at the Kingston-based club, Calvin notched 39 goals in 101 appearances and also featured in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Saints boss Stephen Robinson insists Calvin was someone that always caught the club's eye every time they were scouting King. He said: 'Jalmaro was a player that kept coming up every time we looked at Richard. We've built up a really good relationship with Cavalier and their owner Rudolph Speid. ‌ 'Jalmaro has real pace and energy. He can play wide and he can play through the middle.' The Northern Irishman has outlined his vision for Calvin while comparing him to a former Saints favourite. He added: 'We need to build him up. He's a project for us in terms of getting him used to the Scottish game and the physicality but his electric pace will give us something that we don't have in the squad at this time. He reminds me of Toyosi Olusanya in terms of that raw pace that he can offer us in the wide areas.' ‌ Calvin's capture is the latest addition and follows Ryan Mullen, Liam Donnelly, Jayden Richardson, Richard King, Tunmise Sobowale and Malik Dijksteel signing on. Killian Phillips and Roland Idowu turned loan deals from Crystal Palace and Shrewsbury Town, respectively, into permanent moves. Jalmaro will wear the number 17 shirt this season while fellow new signing Sobowale has been assigned number 19. And it doesn't look like business is done for Saints with former Livingston and current Wycombe Wanderers keeper Shamal George a target. The 27-year-old custodian has only made five appearances for the Chairboys since joining in August 2024 and may be brought in to challenge Peter Urminsky and Mullen for the No 1 jersey.

Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return
Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return

Scottish Sun

time25 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KEELY HODGKINSON is finally set to make her long-awaited return to the track. The Olympic middle-distance runner has not competed since clinching gold in Paris last summer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Keely Hodgkinson is ready to make her 800m comeback Credit: PA 4 She has not raced since clinching gold in Paris due to injuries Credit: Instagram/ Hodgkinson put in a sensational performance in the 800m with a time of 1:56.72. But the 23-year-old has not raced since due to a string of injury problems. She initially planned her comeback for February's Keely Klassic, a new meet named after her, but had to pull out due to a hamstring tear. The Team GB hero then aimed to return for last weekend's meet at the London Stadium but again had to withdraw. But Hodgkinson has now set a date for her long-awaited return to the track. She will run at the Diamond League event in Lausanne, Switzerland on August 18. The Manchester-born star will be up against Ethiopian Tsige Duguma and British ace Georgia Hunter Bell on her return, who have been dominating the event in her absence. Hodgkinson's comeback comes just a month before the World Athletics Championships being hosted in Tokyo, Japan. The heats for the women's 800m are scheduled for September 18. She has won the silver medal at the last two World Championships. Keely Hodgkinson wins BBC SPOTY 2024 as Olympic gold medallist pips Luke Littler to top prize 4 Hodgkinson won the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award last year Credit: Getty 4 Her return comes just in time for the World Championships Credit: Instagram/ During her time away from the track, Hodgkinson won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and mingled with celebs at the Brit Awards. She recently enjoyed a holiday abroad with a friend, soaking up the sun in a black bikini as she took social media by storm.

Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return
Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return

The Sun

time25 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Keely Hodgkinson's first race since sensational gold at 2024 Olympics announced as she makes long-anticipated return

KEELY HODGKINSON is finally set to make her long-awaited return to the track. The Olympic middle-distance runner has not competed since clinching gold in Paris last summer. 4 4 Hodgkinson put in a sensational performance in the 800m with a time of 1:56.72. But the 23-year-old has not raced since due to a string of injury problems. She initially planned her comeback for February's Keely Klassic, a new meet named after her, but had to pull out due to a hamstring tear. The Team GB hero then aimed to return for last weekend's meet at the London Stadium but again had to withdraw. But Hodgkinson has now set a date for her long-awaited return to the track. She will run at the Diamond League event in Lausanne, Switzerland on August 18. The Manchester-born star will be up against Ethiopian Tsige Duguma and British ace Georgia Hunter Bell on her return, who have been dominating the event in her absence. Hodgkinson's comeback comes just a month before the World Athletics Championships being hosted in Tokyo, Japan. The heats for the women's 800m are scheduled for September 18. She has won the silver medal at the last two World Championships. Keely Hodgkinson wins BBC SPOTY 2024 as Olympic gold medallist pips Luke Littler to top prize 4 4 During her time away from the track, Hodgkinson won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and mingled with celebs at the Brit Awards. She recently enjoyed a holiday abroad with a friend, soaking up the sun in a black bikini as she took social media by storm.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store