Nikos Dabizas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas (born 3 August 1973 in Ptolemaida) is a former Newcastle United, Leicester City and Olympiakos Greek footballer, who now plays for Larissa FC in Greece. He was also in Greece's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad.

[edit] Career in Greece

He spent his days playing football and helping in his father's company. His first contact with football came when he was sixteen, although he never dreamt of becoming a professional footballer. However, fate had other plans for him. He played for a year as an amateur at the local team of Amydeo called Hermes, which was enough to give him the ticket to a team in the third division and a professional contract, as he joined Pontioi Verias, as an 18-year-old, where he remained for three consecutive seasons, playing one year on the third division and two in the second. His big career break came when he was 21. He got an offer from Olympiakos, one of the biggest teams in Greece.

He moved to Piraeus, the well-known port of Athens, and helped his new team win the Greek championship twice, something they hadn't done in ten years. He also took part in his first UEFA Champions League games. After three-and-a-half seasons with Olympiakos he received an offer from Newcastle United, which opened him the doors to the English football fields, in the Premier League.

[edit] Newcastle United

He signed with Newcastle in 1998. His initial four-year contract, which was to expire in 2002, was renewed well ahead of time and was to see Nikos in the team until June 2004. He famously scored Newcastle's winning goal in the 1-0 victory in the local derby against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on February 24, 2002.

Being left out of the first squad since the spring of 2003, Dabizas had no option but to seek a transfer. A car accident prevented him from moving during the summer transfer window. Still the decision to move was enforced as he did not see any action when the new season started. He turned down a contract from Arsenal and he accepted an offer from Leicester City.

[edit] Leicester and Euro 2004

Nikos played regularly for City as they battled to stay in the Premier League, but their efforts were not proven to be adequate and the team was relegated to Division One. It seemed like it was going to turn out to be a very disappointing season, but the season was far from over. Nikos was selected for the 2004 European Football Championship Greek squad but never saw any action as an injury kept him at the sidelines. To everyone's surprise, Greece went on to win the tournament, ending a season that had many turning points.

After Euro 2004, Dabizas had to choose whether he would stay with Leicester for one more season or get a transfer to another club (there was a term in his contract allowing him to transfer if City was relegated). He chose to continue with Leicester and help the team return to the Premier League.

[edit] Return to Greece

As Nikos wanted to make a change in his career, he started looking for a new team. In August 2005, he signed a three year contract with AEL 1964. In 2007, he won Larissa's second Greek cup, after a great personal performance in the final, being the captain.

[edit] Honours

• European Championship: 2004

• Greek Cup with Larissa 2006/2007

[edit] Links

• Dabizas.com Nikos Dabizas Official Web Site
• islsite.com Nikos Dabizas has enrolled both his sons at the International School of Larissa

v • d • e Greece squad - UEFA Euro 2004 Winners (1st Title) 1 Nikopolidis • 2 Seitaridis • 3 Venetidis • 4 Dabizas • 5 Dellas • 6 Basinas • 7 Zagorakis • 8 Giannakopoulos • 9 Charisteas • 10 Tsiartas • 11 Nikolaidis • 12 Chalkias • 13 Katergiannakis • 14 Fyssas • 15 Vryzas • 16 Kafes • 17 Georgiadis • 18 Goumas • 19 Kapsis • 20 Karagounis • 21 Katsouranis • 22 Papadopoulos • 23 Lakis • Coach: Rehhagel