Olympiacos sends Sisic and Matsoukas packing

By: Peter Katsiris | January 29th, 2009

Olympiacos terminated the contract of two players on Wednesday, as Mirnes Sisic and Lefteris Matsoukas were released by the club after disappointing spells.

Sisic, who joined the club during last year’s winter transfer window, was told earlier in the month to search for a club, as it was clear his time in Piraeus was nearing its final days. While the Slovenia international promised there was interest in his services from a hand of clubs from the German Bundesliga, his promises didn’t translate to a sale during the transfer window.

When he joined the Greek Champions from Levadeiakos last January, all seemed well for the 27-year-old as e looked to solidify his career with the Greek Super League leaders. Though he didn’t manage to maintain a regular spot in the starting eleven, Sisic was still used as a regular substitute while Olympiacos was under the tenure of former managers Takis Lemonis, and eventually Jose Segoura.

This year, under a new Olympiacos bench boss, Sisic failed to make an impression as a team player. Not only was he eliminated from the weekend roster week-in and week-out, Sisic was part of a verbal war with manager Ernesto Valverde.

The arguments portrayed Sisic as an ungrateful member of ‘O Thrylos’, and verbal encounter appeared to be the catalyst for his exit.

Matsoukas too…
While the decision to release Matsoukas is understandable, there is still plenty of confusion surrounding the move. After Darko Kovacevic underwent heart surgery in early January, the immediate option for Olympiacos was to recall Matsoukas from his loan spell with Ethnikos Asteras in the Beta Ethniki.

Olympiacos did recall the player, but much to the surprise of the 18-year-old, Valverde suggested he didn’t want the U-19 Greece international in the line-up.

And with the side active in the transfer market, the acquisition of Matt Derbyshire, allows the ‘Erythrloefki’ to give Matsoukas the pink-slip.