Giorgos Giakoumakis

Bring him home

 

So he now realises what he left. Grass ain’t always greener.

But that being said. I’d take him back.

 

No thanks. The most overrated player we’ve had in recent years.

 

Always liked GG....bring him back!

 

The guy can finish. There is no question about that, and everywhere he has been he scores goals. Don't know what his most recent form is like, but in the Netherlands, here and in the US showed a lot of consistency in front of goal. If we are in the market for someone who can provide that more physical side up front, then I am definitely open to the idea.

 

Agree that he'd do a job for us but at 30 I reckon there's not much chance of us offering a significant fee for him.

 

Giorgos Giakoumakis has opened the door on a stunning return to Celtic by revealing he dreams of playing for the Hoops again.


The Greek striker spoke from the heart as he lifted the lid on his emotional Parkhead exit for the first time in an explosive interview with Record Sport.



In a no-holds-barred conversation, Giakoumakis opened up on:

• Why he wanted to leave at the end of his debut season
• His "fragile" relationship with Ange Postecoglou and Michael Nicholson
• The reason he decided to quit Celtic Park and move Stateside to Atlanta United

Now 30 and on the books of Mexican giants Cruz Azul, Giakoumakis made it clear he'd jump at the chance to re-sign for the club he will always adore.

He exclusively told Record Sport: "You want to set the fire? I would love to play for Celtic again. I don't know if that's a utopia or if it could happen again - but who wouldn't?


Even if you don't know what it feels like to be there, when you've already been there, you know exactly what it means.

"So if someone played for Celtic and he was successful and you ask him a couple of years after, 'Would you play again for Celtic?' and he tells you no, he's a stupid guy. He's so dumb.

"So, yeah, I would love, love, love to wear this jersey again. I don't know if this circle is done for me, but, yeah, that's my truth."


Giakoumakis watched on with envy as returning hero and former teammate Jota was given a warm welcome home by the fans in January.

He said: "When I saw Jota coming back, I got into his position and how amazing he would feel getting in there again.

"He went to Saudi, he went on loan to France. He probably wasn't happy in any of these places.



"He didn't have the same importance. He didn't have the same happiness or freedom. But I felt straight away, like, how he must have felt.

"The moment he signed again and the moment he wore the jersey, the moment he entered the field for the first time... the fans were cheering his name like crazy, the whole stadium on their feet.

"The feeling would be amazing. It would be amazing. I just immediately put myself in his position."

The thought of Celtic fans chanting his name again is something Giakoumakis fantasises about as he added: "Oh my *. That would be like an amazing dream. It would be amazing.

 

I'd take him back for sure!
Second behind Maeda for striker.


Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

 

Would love him back, a proper physical striker and didn’t take any * off the Huns

 

I’d take him back in a heartbeat. He was terrific.

 

Bring

Him

Home!!!

 

Some amount of players have left over the years and realised being at Celtic was the happiest time of their career.

 

Would be a yes please from me.

 

Ideal. Reality it will be Idah and a new punt.

 

I would be for this. I'm a big fan of GG. He is still a force to be reckoned with at only 30.

 

Giorgos Giakoumakis lifts lid on Celtic exit, 'fragile' Ange relationship and the 'disrespectful' £1k extra contract
In part two of Record Sport's exclusive interview, the former Hoops hero explains why he left Parkhead after just 18 months



It's been two-and-a-half years since Giorgos Giakoumakis waved goodbye to Celtic.


But there's a tear in his eye when he thinks about what could have been at Parkhead.


A prolific goalscorer, a title winner and a fans' favourite, GG had everything going for him.


He felt the love from the terraces every time he pulled on the famous green and white jersey


It's just a shame he didn't feel that same connection with the manager or the hierarchy.

After less than a year at Celtic Park, Giakoumakis knew he was fighting a losing battle to upstage Kyogo, who followed Ange Postecoglou from Japan to Scotland


No matter how many goals the bargain £2.5million signing from VVV-Venlo scored or defences he ragdolled, Kyogo was always going to be the main man.

That's why, despite finishing as the Premiership's joint-top scorer in his debut campaign, Giakoumakis decided he had to leave Glasgow


In a bombshell interview with Record Sport, Giakoumakis bared all by sharing his side of his Celtic story for the very first time since leaving the club in February 2023.

He said: "Well, at first, when I finished the season winning the league and the top scorer trophy award, I called my agent and I said, 'We need to go’. And he was surprised.



He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Listen, we need to go because I have the feeling that with this manager, I'm not going to play next year. It doesn't matter what I did this year. I'm not going to play. Whenever I play, I'm delivering. And I don't deserve that. I'm a king for the fans. I love them. They love me’.


But I knew what was going to happen. I knew already. So my previous agent didn't really believe me, or didn't bring me any offers to the table. I just started the season, and it happened exactly as I was feeling.

There was a special connection that Kyogo had with the manager and the manager with Kyogo. Maybe it was different sides. So maybe Ange was preferring this false nine.

"But then again, I was feeling what was going to happen. I want to feel loved in a place. And I think only the fans kept me at a good level coming from the bench and scoring.


Only the fans showed me the love they had for me, the song they were singing for me, and all the support. Honestly, it was because of them. I was getting the love from somewhere and that made me deliver.

"So I think in six months I had nine goals in all competitions. Then I changed my agent. Obviously, I wasn't happy with what was going on and not finding a solution


And I made my mind that you know what? It's my career and I will never lose my love for the fans. And hopefully, they didn't lose the appreciation and the love they had for me. But yeah, it wasn't a place that I was feeling happy anymore

Rumours began to swirl around the November World Cup break that Giakoumakis had forced Celtic's hand by rejecting an improved contract.

But the one-time Eredivisie top scorer claims: "The relegation with VVV-Venlo affected me a lot. Imagine scoring 29 goals and then you don't have any offers from any other team until August 26. Eventually, when Celtic realised that, 'All he has is us', they really took advantage of it.

"I had a ridiculous contract and then they told me when I signed, 'Well, if you prove yourself, we're going to sit down in summer and give you what you deserve’



"But of course, that was a lie to bring me there. And when I ended up top scorer, winning the league, they bought me only for £2.5m, you feel like, 'Ok, I proved myself. I did my part. Now let's do yours’.

"So I talked to them and I said, 'Listen, you need to give me what I deserve.' And then they just offered me like £1,000 more per week. That was the offer they made to me


And I said, 'Okay, obviously it's not £1k more. It's like you are messing around and you don't appreciate me’. And at this time, I said, 'Don't even make any other offer because I feel disrespected and you didn't appreciate what I gave for the team and for the fans. The connections I had, I don't care anymore. I am done with you, name a price, I'm leaving.

Both parties were at loggerheads and from that moment, there was no way back as Giakoumakis added: "I think the relationship between me, Michael and Ange in the end was really fragile. It was really fragile and I think at some point it just broke the glass


Renowned for keeping a distance between himself and the players, Postecoglou's approach didn't quite sit right with Giakoumakis


But from a coaching and tactical perspective, the ex-AEK Athens frontman said: "He was an amazing manager. He was the best manager I ever had in my career, football-wise. As a person, it doesn't matter


Personal relationship and personal opinion is different to every person, for a specific face, for a specific individual. But as a manager, I cannot say anything bad. He brought me there.

"Of course, I wasn't happy when I was not playing. I'm going to tell you something weird. We were both Greeks, right? In 18 months, I went to his office once to ask permission to go to Greece to undergo surgery for my knee. That was it.


Giakoumakis - who donned the iconic No7 jersey - scored his 26th and final goal for the club in a 2-0 League Cup semi-final win over Kilmarnock at Hampden.

It was a raw and emotional moment as he ripped off his shirt and celebrated in front of the fans. His exit had yet to be finalised, but Giakoumakis knew he'd just played his final game for the club.


He said: "Yeah, and I think that was also my last touch. I was really sad that I was leaving. I was super, super sad


"I was sitting on the couch, remembering myself. I had to convince myself, sporting-wise, that it's not good for you to stay here. It doesn't matter how much you love the club.

"It doesn't matter how much you are obsessed with the fans. It doesn't matter how happy you were this whole time, scoring goals, winning trophies with the team. You have to go, but I had to accept it first. It was difficult."


The Greece international had options on the table from mega-rich Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds and Danish outfit FC Midtjylland but eventually plumped for a move to the MLS with Atlanta United.


The 30-year-old watched from afar as Celtic stormed to a stunning Treble without him. Yet, even with the benefit of hindsight, he doesn't have any regrets about his time in Scotland. Instead, he's just glad it happened.

He said: "I don't think I have any regrets. I think I experienced that adventure in the best possible way. I did my best.


He said: "I don't think I have any regrets. I think I experienced that adventure in the best possible way. I did my best.

"And when I had to leave, I left with the head up, with much love for the club, appreciation and the fans


"But it had to be done. And I don't regret it. And that doesn't have to do with the feelings that I had for Celtic because I didn't leave for money.

"I didn't leave for a rival club. I left at the point that everyone can understand I should go. If I cared for my career, I should go.


"If I was playing regularly as a starter and getting what I deserved, why should I leave? I was feeling amazing


Adored by the green-and-white faithful, Giakoumakis has told Brendan Rodgers he'd love a second chance at Celtic Park.

If not, then the Cruz Azul forward will have to settle for a place in the stands as a supporter.

Summing up his rollercoaster 18 month stint at Celtic, he said: "It's going to be the biggest flex of my life, my career, because I made my dream come true, playing for a massive club, being a star in this club, and then having all these fans cheering your name, scoring goals.



"I remember the moment the ball was touching the back of the net. It was ecstasy. It was this feeling that the whole stadium was on the field, cheering and screaming.

"And so, at the end of the day, I would say that I'm super proud. I wish it would last longer. I would love to last longer. And if that's possible, to meet again and, you know, to wear this jersey


If not, I will try to visit Glasgow on a weekend with the Old Firm derby at Celtic Park. I would love to be there.

"And the fact that made me really sad, to be honest, when I left, is that I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to the fans. I would love to take the microphone and say a proper farewell to the fans.


Maybe it's too much, because it was only one year and a half, but my connection with the fans was not for a player who played only one year and a half there


"So, I would love to give them a proper farewell and tell them thank you for everything that made this journey special. And what I did, the biggest part was for them

 

Very honest interview and was a good player for us.

An extra £1k per week is cheeky tbf

 

I dunno if I had a bit of a soft spot for the guy but I thought he was a cracking option at striker.

Definitely had his limitations in terms of his play outside the box, but he impacted games well for the most part and added a bit of chaos inside the box that we needed.


Probably wouldn’t be keen on coming back as 2/3rd striker again though…