One of Greece’s legendary football coaches, Nikos Alefantos, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81.
Alefantos, 81, suffered a heart attack.
He was well-known in the country for his outspoken manner and colorful off-the-cuff statements and interviews.
Alefantos was born in central Athens’ Exarchia district in 1939, and first playing for his local neighborhood’s club, Asteras, before wearing the jersey of another eight teams until 1969, including a sole appearance with his beloved Olympiacos Piraeus.
His coaching career was even more prolific and episodic: three times as the head coach of Olympiacos, as well as a stint with cross-town rival AEK Athens, the northern Greece side PAOK Thessaloniki and nearly half a dozen other first division teams.
