Greece coach Fernando Santos on Friday surprisingly called up for the first time 17-year-old Panathinaikos goalkeeper Stefanos Kapinos for upcoming friendly matches with Russia at home (November 11) and Romania away (November 15).
"I have seen him in three matches and was very impressed. I want to see him up close and let him gain experience with the national team," Santos told a press conference about Kapinos.
Santos also called up for the first time German defender of Greek and Uruguayan descent Jose Holebas, 27, who plays for champions Olympiakos and who has just received his Greek citizenship.
"Once he had expressed the desire to play for the national team, and this is now formally possible, I decided to call him and see the player at close quarters," Santos said of Holebas.
Other new faces on the 23-man squad are 31-year-old midfielder Giorgos Theodoridis of Panetolikos Agrinio and 23-year-old defender for Atromitos Athens Kostas Giannoulis.
"We will face two teams with two different characteristics. I want to congratulate my players involved in qualifying for Euro 2012 and now a new cycle is open.
"We want to see our players in view of the final phase of the European championships. There will be completely different lineups in the two halves of both matches," Santos said of the upcoming two friendlies.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alexandros Tzorvas (Palermo/ITA), Kostas Chalkias (PAOK Salonika), Stefanos Kapinos (Panathinakos Athens)
Defenders: Vasilis Torosidis, Giannis Maniatis, Avraam Papadopoulos, Jose Holebas (all Olympiakos Piraeus), Socrates Papastathopoulos (Werder Bremen/GER), Stelios Malezas (PAOK), Kostas Giannoulis (Atromitos Athens)
Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis, Giorgos Karagounis (both Panathinaikos), Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens), Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK), Alexandros Tziolis (Racing Santander/ESP), Panayiotis Kone (Bologna/ITA), Giorgos Theodoridis (Panetolikos Agrinio)
Forwards: Giorgos Samaras (Celtic/SCO), Dimitris Salpigidis (PAOK), Angelos Charisteas (Panetolikos), Fanis Gekas (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Nikos Limberopoulos (AEK), Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos)
Source: AFP
