PAOK Academy is the football academy system of Greek professional football club PAOK consisting of eleven official youth teams (Under-6/7, Under-8, Under-9, Under-10, Under-11, Under-12, Under-13, Under-14, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20), based on the young athletes' age.[1]PAOK's U15, U17 and U20 teams all play in Greek Superleague's [2] (Superleague U15, U17 and U20 respectively). Ιn 2016–17 season, U20 team participated in UEFA Youth League as a champion on official superleague U17 2015–16. This academy holds more than 280 young players,[3] and also more than 50 people work there (coaches, trainers, doctors etc.). The PAOK Academy maintains 16 training centers outside of Thessaloniki. These are in Athens, Didimoticho, Alexandroupoli, Komotini - Xanthi, Kilkis, Kavala, Drama, Kozani, Katerini, Lamia, Corfu, Rethymnon, Chios, Chalkidiki, Cyclades and Rhodes.[4]
The first youth academy was created in 1952. The visionary was Austrian coach Wilhelm (Willi) Sefzik. His dream was to be able to bring out new talents that could evolve from an early age into the PAOK team.[5] In 2007–2009, The former president Theodoros Zagorakis began the rebirth of the academies. Vangelis Pourliotopoulos undertook the reorganization, and for the first time in PAOK history started an organized effort of the club to exploit, to bring out new talents, and promote young footballers systematically from the infrastructure departments of PAOK's to the first team. In 2009, the cost reached €1 million per year.[6] At that time the "Football Prints" program was created. Today more than 90 academies participate in this program. In 2008, the first hostels in the Toumba Stadium were inaugurated. In the first three years, the hostels accommodated 14 children, who came from outside Thessaloniki
The evolution of academies continues to date, with Ivan Savvidis investing in a new home that will host young footballers. In September 2015, the PAOK Academy acquired a seven-storey building in the center of Thessaloniki,[7] where 55 young football players live there.[8] The cost of academies has now reached €2 million per year, making it the most expensive academy in Greece.[9] According to the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES), the club has the best academies in Greece.[10]
Organization
PAOK invest in setting up its own football schools to bring out talented children. To this day the club maintains 13 training centers in every corner of the country. PAOK FC youth sections, with the assistance of their network of collaborating academies (football prints), select the most talented players of each region, in order to have them train often and gradually follow the schedules and aims of the PAOK academy players.
The objective of the club is encounter young talented athletes aged no more than 12, and hand them at least 7 years of proper the footballing education, so that they can dive into the mentality and philosophy of their club. The scouting team visits each training centre once each month, in order to supervise the children's progress. Some distinguished children are invited to Thessaloniki to join the PAOK Academy, which will be staying at PAOK's house.[4]
Since 2013, PAOK maintains a cooperation with Juventus on the academies sector.[11]
Football Prints
PAOK football prints, is a network of academies working with the PAOK academy. Football Prints network functions through a communication system that is based on the eagerness of local academies to work and push talented children. The coordination of all academies has the Vangelis Pourliotopoulos and Kyriakos Alexandridis. In 2014, PAOK FC also organized their first "PAOK Football Prints Network Tournament". Since 2009, the club hold the annual youth tournament “Panagiotis Katsouris” in his memory, a renowned tournament and among the best in the Balkans.[12]
List of academies
The 90 academies of "Football Prints" in Greece, according to geographic criteria.
Kavala
Thessaloniki
Pella
Athens Cosmos Club Mikrasiatikos Kaisarianis
Pontiakos Alexandroupolis
Pyrichios
PAOK Koutsopodiou
Dias Kostakion Arta
Elpides Marmara
PAOK Stavrou
Olympiada Karousadon
Arena fc PAOK Calcetto FC Chania
PAOK Iasmos PAOK Isaakiou
PAOK M. Alexandros F. Dramas
Alistrati
Prosotsani
Pas Florina
Lido Soccer Atsalenios academy
PAS Asteras Ioaninon
Kronos
Katerini academy
Alexandros Kilkis PAOK Kristonis
Fair Play PAOK Komitini
PAOK Konitsa Pindos Konitsa
Tilikratis Panlefkadios
Apollon Vounarakiou
PAOK Kos
Koilon Siatista
Paxoi academy
Makrygialos
Giotsa Play Zone
R.T. Preveza RIA Sport
Hercules Ptolemaidas
Astera Rethymnou
Keravnos A.V.
Meliki
AO Skiathos academy
PAOK Kanithou
PAOK Karpenisiou
Filoktitis Kontia
Asteras Pastida
Oinoi Orestiadas
Euklhs Soronis
Niki Christou
Theagenis Thasos
Elpides Acheronta
Doxa Gardikiou
PAOK Xanthi
Doxa Makr.
Thessaloniki Academies Proteas Achilleas Pereas Elpides Sikeon Bebides Ionias Kypseli Neapolis Liti academy Academy MAS Atromitos Triadiou GS Ilioupoli Lykoi AE falirou PAOK Kymina-Malgara Malakopi Pylaias Aetoi fc Doxa Drymou Ioannis Papafis academy Magnisiakos M. Alexandros Kaloxoriou Champions Pefkon Keravnos Agiou Pavlou Ethnikos Sohou Diaplasi Oreokastro Achilleas Triandrias Doxa Elpidas Evosmou Toumba FC
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
↑ Thanassis Liontzopoulos (18 August 2006). "Tο παρασκήνιο της μεταγραφής"[The background of Salpingidis transfer]. tanea.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 3 February 2025.
↑ Kostas Petrotos (20 July 2012). "Ο Σταφυλίδης στη Λεβερκούζεν!"[Stafylidis joins Bayer Leverkusen!]. sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 3 February 2025.
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