Georgios Samaras is keen to add a chapter to his family’s storied history in Melbourne when he leads Celtic out against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park next Wednesday.
Georgios Samaras is keen to add a chapter to his family’s storied history in Melbourne when he leads Celtic out against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park next Wednesday.
Scottish Premier League powerhouse Celtic will play the final match of their three-game Australian tour on Wednesday against Victory, with Samaras handed the armband in his return to the city.
Samaras has played in Melbourne before, starting in Greece’s 1-0 loss in the Socceroos’ World Cup farewell match at the MCG in May 2006.
His family name has a long association with the game in Melbourne. Samaras’ grandfather Georgios was a co-founder of South Melbourne, and father Ioannis turned out and scored for the then NSL club in 1988.
Ioannis Samaras was born in Melbourne but moved to Greece aged 13, playing for Super League powerhouse Panathinaikos and notching 16 caps for the European nation over his 16 year career.
Born in Greece but eligible for Australia, Ioannis’ son followed his father in representing the European nation.
In a webchat with the Herald Sun, Samaras said that it was a “great honour” to captain Celtic, and he was looking forward to tackling Victory at AAMI Park.
“I hear that Melbourne Victory are a very big club so looking forward to them next Wednesday,” he said.
“We were together four years ago in Australia with the national team at the MCG … that will be nice to be back in Melbourne to play again, except this time with the Hoops.”
Samaras made his debut for Greece in 2006, earning a move from Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie to English Premier League club Manchester City soon after.
After initially impressing, Samaras found a starting role hard to come by and was sent on-loan to Celtic in 2008.
Six goals in 21 appearances in the second-half of the 2008/09 SPL season was enough for then-manager Gordon Strachan to sign him permanently, with the 193cm-forward having now struck 43 times in 136 outings for the Glasgow club.
Samaras said he was looking forward to playing in front of Melbourne’s Celtic supporters: “The Celtic fans all over the world and now here in Australia are unbelievable and great to make new fans here and friends,” he said.
“Celtic fans are officially the greatest fans in world football.”
He also hinted he may be tempted to play in the A-League later in his career.
“You never know what is going to happen in football,” he said.
“Australia is a great country and football here is growing.”
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