Silaidopoulos ready for next Olympiacos step

When Olympiacos beat AC Milan to win the UEFA Youth League in April, Sotiris Silaidopoulos became the first coach ever to lead a Greek club to victory in a UEFA competition.

The following month, in his role as assistant to senior coach José Luis Mendilibar, Silaidopoulos was on the bench when Olympiacos claimed victory in the UEFA Conference League. That is now his full-time role, but Silaidopoulos is reunited with his youth squad this week as he coaches them in the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup against CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores Sub-20 winners Flamengo at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

Silaidopoulos spoke to UEFA.com about that match, the significance of his teams' successes for Greek football, and the task of integrating the Youth League-winning players into the senior squad.

On playing at the Maracanã...

Firstly, it’s a great experience for us to be able to play in a stadium like the Maracanã. There are stadiums, like Wembley and the Maracanã, which are considered sacred by football lovers.

To be able to have this opportunity to play at the Maracanã, against Flamengo, competing for such a significant trophy for the club and for Greece, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will stay with us forever. From what we understand, there will be lots of fans there, so that makes the experience even more complete.

On Flamengo...

We’ve analysed a fair amount of Flamengo’s games, both in the Libertadores but also in the regular season. They’re a very strong side; they’re a very, very good team who have a great deal of individual talent at their disposal and speed in the attacking third. I’m sure that it is going to be a very difficult game.

They have the advantage of playing at home and, more importantly, they have played more games than us recently, as our league hasn’t yet begun. But, of course, every team has its strong and weak points, and in our way, with our own plan, we’re going to try to make the most of them and compete as we want to until the very end.

On having one last game with his old U19 squad...

Of course, for me and some of the players it will be the last game in this age group. It couldn’t really be a better scenario than being able to compete for such an important title like the Intercontinental Cup at the Maracanã. So, for us, it’s one final stage, it's one final unique experience, and it's very important for us all to compete as one.

Let’s not forget that this team has achieved amazing things both on the national stage, with back-to-back titles, and in winning the Youth League, a first for a Greek side. We want to close our circle in the best way possible, and lifting the Intercontinental Cup would be the 'last dance' for this entire team.

On whether the Youth League triumph helped inspire the seniors in the Conference League...

Having been part of both achievements, both in the Youth League as a coach and in the first team as assistant to Mr Mendilibar, I think there was a mutual influence between the teams, which helped this belief to grow. There was an energy and a sense of belief around the club that we could achieve a lot. Both successes are closely linked and go hand in hand; we are very, very happy and proud of that.

Sotiris Silaidopoulos with the Conference League trophy after May's final in AthensUEFA via Getty Images

On whether those victories, and another in Rio de Janeiro, could bring confidence to Greek clubs in future international competitions...

Last week, when we played against the Nottingham Forest first team in a friendly, two of the four UEFA [men's season-long football club] trophies were on display at the Karaiskakis Stadium. That alone shows that appropriate measures have been taken, not only in terms of the organisation, at Olympiacos, namely the academy and senior teams, but also much more in terms of Greek football as a whole.

These successes create a path of confidence for other teams and for Greek football – for us to have more faith in that we have the ability to achieve things as Greeks. I'm very optimistic about the future of Greek football, whether it's about the teams or about the talent that is now coming through our clubs, and even about the organisations themselves.

I think Olympiacos are pioneers in that respect and, after winning both of these European trophies, we can say that Olympiacos are among the elite European clubs.

On looking to bring the Youth League-winning Olympiacos talents into the senior set-up... 

First of all, the fact that we have five kids in the first team right now, and they're demanding to be in the squad and they're demanding to get playing time, is very important for the club. It's a plan that's been in place for the last three to four years, and it seems to be working well.

Winning the Youth League, which I see as a mini version of the senior Champions League, is crucial. The way we won it shows that Olympiacos have a strong foundation and a promising future for developing young talent.

The opportunity to play at such a high level – and, for me, the Youth League is the highest level at this age – helps you develop the kids, establish routines and provide experience that is difficult to get in the Greek league. Even more so, to evaluate the kids at the highest level and against very difficult opponents. I think our participation in the Youth League has helped us grow and develop these kids.

It exposes them to different cultures and new teams at the highest level. For me, that's the most important thing: being able to compete at the highest level. Because in order to wear the Olympiacos shirt, be it with the first team or with one of the youth teams, you definitely have to be tested at that level.

On his own role integrating youth players into the senior squad...

It's very important for me and for the club in general to have a person who actually knows the kids personally, and it’s important for these kids as well because when they come into the first-team environment – which is completely different from the youth teams – there is a person who knows them, so we can help them to make that transition as smooth as possible.

Also, in cooperation with the coach, Mr Mendilibar, it’s very important that we make sure that the information and what the coach wants is communicated to the young players in the clearest and easiest way possible.

Of course, we are there to help them develop further because their improvement doesn’t stop when they reach the first team. We create programmes, whether it is work in the gym or mostly technical and tactical training, that help them continue their personal improvement. Having that person – and I’m speaking from personal experience when it helped me in the first team – helps these kids have as smooth a transition as possible.

On the task for his successor as Olympiacos U19 coach, Romain Pitau...

It’s very important to develop both as an academy and as a team – this team have set the bar very high. I have the utmost confidence in the academy and the way it works, as well as the whole organisation. We will have a very strong squad for the new season.

It’s not easy to repeat success but the most important thing is that we continue to develop academy players and bring them through to the first team – apart from all the titles and all the things we've achieved, the greatest achievement, the greatest joy and pride, is to watch these kids play in the first team. If we have played even the smallest part in making their dreams come true, that makes me happy and proud.