View source for Stelios Manolas

{{short description|Greek footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Stelios Manolas
| image          = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Stelios-01.jpg|200px]] -->
| fullname       = Stylianos Manolas
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1961|7|13}}
| birth_place    = [[Naxos]], Greece
| death_date     = 
| height         = {{height|m=1.90}}
| position       = [[Center back]] 
| youthyears1    = 1974–1979
| youthclubs1    = [[AEK Athens F.C. Academy|AEK Athens]]
| years1         = 1979–1998
| clubs1         = [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]
| caps1          = 447
| goals1         = 35
| totalcaps      = 447
| totalgoals     = 35
| nationalyears1 = 1982–1995
| nationalteam1  = [[Greece national football team|Greece]]
| nationalcaps1  = 71
| nationalgoals1 = 6
| manageryears1  = 2002–2004
| managerclubs1  = [[Greece national under-21 football team|Greece U21]]
| manageryears2  = 2012–2013
| managerclubs2  = [[Niki Volos F.C.|Niki Volos]]
| manageryears3  = 2014–2016
| managerclubs3  = [[AEK Athens F.C. Academy|AEK Athens U20]]
| manageryears4  = 2015
| managerclubs4  = [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] (caretaker)
| manageryears5  = 2016
| managerclubs5  = [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] (caretaker)
}}

'''Stelios Manolas''' ({{langx|el|Στέλιος Μανωλάς}}, born 13 July 1961) is a [[Greeks|Greek]] former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[center back]] for [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] and a current manager. Widely regarded as the best Greek [[Defender (association football)|defender]] of his era, he is one of the few Greek footballers to have played his entire professional career for a single club. In 2021, the [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]] chose him in Greece's best XI of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iffhs.com/posts/1405|title=IFFHS MEN’S ALL TIME GREECE DREAM TEAM|date=23 October 2021|website=IFFHS.com|location=Online}}</ref>

==Club career==
Manolas started football from a young age, playing on the streets and vacant lots in and around the [[Athens]] suburb of [[Galatsi]], where he lived during his childhood. In his early teens he, alongside his friend [[Kostas Antoniou]], played for the small amateur club, Aetos Galatsi,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.e-galatsi.gr/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=3206&amp;catid=89&amp;Itemid=611&amp;fbclid=IwAR0MWHrE6HWm7tfHwIZJ5nBiuZ8YWbiTOmgiTP0fM1E3UmYvO3QRg5xVakI|title=Η αλάνα της οδού Κουρτίου,δίπλα στο &quot;Μικτόν Γυμνάσιο Γαλατσίου&quot;|website=e-galatsi}}</ref> where he was discovered by scouts and brought to the attention of [[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]. At the age of 15, he was playing for the [[AEK Athens F.C. Academy|AEK Youth teams]]. Over time, he was noticed for his technical skill, intelligence and tactical mind. In January 1980, he signed his first professional contract with the club. As a young player, his solid technical training, dynamism and perception and a fighting spirit, were shown in his efforts on the pitch for team defense and attack. He was a mastermind of the defense, influenced his teammates and boosted their confidence. Even though he was started his career as a [[right back]], he was converted into a center back [[Miltos Papapostolou]], a position he would compete for the rest of his career.

He made his debut appearance in a 1–1 draw against [[Kastoria F.C.|Kastoria]] on 3 February 1980 and from the next season onwards, he became a regular in the defense of the yellow-blacks until his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aek365.org/a-444368/o-stelio-arxise-na-grafei-istoria.htm|title=Ο Στέλιος άρχισε να γράφει ιστορία - 24/02 09:28|website=aek365.org}}</ref> Almost throughout his career he was one of the best players and one of the natural leaders of AEK. He gave his best in winning many titles, while alongside [[Toni Savevski]], the main players that were based in the 90's. A top moment in his career, among others, was when he head blocked a shot by [[Lajos Détári]] in front of AEK's goal line in the crucial game against [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]] at the [[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Olympic Stadium]], that brought to AEK the [[1988–89 Alpha Ethniki|1989 league title]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuITae2PnxM|title=Η μυθικη αποκρουση-μισο πρωταθλημα του ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ ΜΑΝΩΛΑ στην κεφαλια του ΝΤΕΤΑΡΙ|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Manolas had been targeted by [[FC Porto|Porto]] and [[AS Monaco|Monaco]], but as he stated, he would never leave the club, as he wanted to retire there. He played at AEK for 19 consecutive seasons, where he became their captain. In the summer of 1997 Manolas, dissatisfied with the then president [[Michalis Trochanas]], withdrew from the club's activities for several months<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tanea.gr/1997/07/12/sports/den-yparxei-logos-na-milisoyme/|title=Δεν υπάρχει λόγος να μιλήσουμε|date=12 July 1997|website=tanea.gr}}</ref> bur later returned, with [[ENIC Group|ENIC]] as the major shareholder, to end his career at the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tanea.gr/1997/12/30/sports/o-sempoye-apo-simera-sti-diathesi-toy-ntoymitrioy/|title=Ο Σέμπουε από σήμερα στη διάθεση του Ντουμιτρίου|date=30 December 1997|website=tanea.gr}}</ref> His last match was against [[Xanthi F.C.|Skoda Xanthi]] which earned him his 700th appearance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazzetta.gr/football/superleague/article/1475502/aek-teleytaio-paihnidi-toy-stratioti-stelioy-manola-vid|title=AEK: Το τελευταίο παιχνίδι του "στρατιώτη" Στέλιου Μανωλά|website=gazzetta.gr}}</ref>

Stelios Manolas ended his career having 447 appearances in the [[Greek Super League|league]], second only to [[Mimis Papaioannou]] and 12th in the history of the respective division, achieving a total of 34 goals. With AEK, he won the league 4 times, the [[Greek Football Cup|Cup]] 3 times, the [[Greek Super Cup|Super Cup]] 2 times and the only [[Greek League Cup|League Cup]] title ever played in 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aekpedia.com/2015/05/24/%cf%83%cf%84%ce%ad%ce%bb%ce%b9%ce%bf%cf%82-%ce%bc%ce%b1%ce%bd%cf%89%ce%bb%ce%ac%cf%82/|title=Στέλιος Μανωλάς|website=aekpedia.com}}</ref>

==International career==
Manolas played for [[Greece national football team|Greece]] in 71 matches from 1982 to 1994 and scored 6 goals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epo.gr/media/files/ETHNIKES_OMADES/MATCH_ANDRES_1929-2000/ethniki_andrwn_1981_1985.pdf|title=Greece matches 1981–1985|website=epo.gr}}</ref> He was a member of the squad that played in the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]], in the [[United States|USA]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epo.gr/media/files/ETHNIKES_OMADES/MATCH_ANDRES_1929-2000/ethniki_andrwn_1990_1995.pdf|title=Greece matches 1990–1995|website=epo.gr}}</ref>
 
==Managerial career==
After his retirement, Manolas became a certified coach in 2002 and worked for [[Greece national under-21 football team|Greece U21]] until 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport24.gr/football/i-diadromi-toy-proponiti-stelioy-manola.8317790.html|title=Η διαδρομή του προπονητή Στέλιου Μανωλά|website=www.sport24.gr}}</ref> In 2008 he held the post of technical director in AEK, where he resigned in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.in.gr/2009/06/01/sports/football/paraitithike-o-stelios-manwlas-apo-tin-aek/|title=Παραιτήθηκε ο Στέλιος Μανωλάς από την ΑΕΚ|date=1 June 2009|website=in.gr}}</ref> In November 2012 he became the manager of [[Niki Volos F.C.|Niki Volos]] where he stayed for three months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.protothema.gr/sports/article/234452/ston-pagko-ths-nikhs-voloy-o-stelios-manolas/|title=Στον πάγκο της Νίκης Βόλου ο Στέλιος Μανωλάς|date=6 November 2012|website=ProtoThema}}</ref> In the summer of 2014 he returned to AEK, as the coach of [[AEK Athens F.C. Academy|AEK Athens U20]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.contra.gr/podosfairo/o-stelios-manolas-epestrepse-stin-aek.7142042.html|title=Ο Στέλιος Μανωλάς επέστρεψε στην ΑΕΚ!|website=www.contra.gr}}</ref> In 2015, he was called from AEK as an interim coach to replace [[Traianos Dellas]] in the men's team, and was then called again at the same position to replace [[Gus Poyet]]. During his second managerial period, he won the Cup in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aekfc.gr/newsdetails/me-manola-os-to-telos-tis-sezon-47702.htm?lang=en&path=1670406511|title=Manolas as interim coach|website=aekfc.gr}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Manolas is the uncle of former AEK Athens and [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]] international defender, [[Kostas Manolas|Kostas]].<ref name="Roma Profile">{{cite web|url=https://www.asroma.com/en/player-profile-bios/kostas-manolas-profile-new|title=Kostas Manolas Profile New|publisher=A.S. Roma|date=14 August 2018|access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> His son, [[Konstantinos Manolas (footballer, born 1993)|Konstantinos]], was also a footballer who played for AEK.

==Career statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>[https://football.aek.com/player/stelios_manolas/126 Stelios Manolas on football.aek.com]</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|[[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]]
!colspan="2"|[[UEFA|Europe]]
!colspan="2"|[[Balkans Cup]]
!colspan="2"|Other{{efn|Includes [[Greek Super Cup]] and [[Greek League Cup]]}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan=19|[[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]]
|[[1979–80 Alpha Ethniki|1979–80]]
|rowspan=19|[[Super League Greece|Alpha Ethniki]]
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|[[1980–81 Alpha Ethniki|1980–81]]
|23||1||5||0||0||0||4||0||0||0||32||1
|-
|[[1981–82 Alpha Ethniki|1981–82]]
|32||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||34||0
|-
|[[1982–83 Alpha Ethniki|1982–83]]
|29||1||8||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||38||1
|-
|[[1983–84 Alpha Ethniki|1983–84]]
|27||1||5||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||34||1
|-
|[[1984–85 Alpha Ethniki|1984–85]]
|25||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||26||0
|-
|[[1985–86 Alpha Ethniki|1985–86]]
|20||3||7||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||29||4
|-
|[[1986–87 Alpha Ethniki|1986–87]]
|20||1||1||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||23||1
|-
|[[1987–88 Alpha Ethniki|1987–88]]
|21||4||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||25||4
|-
|[[1988–89 Alpha Ethniki|1988–89]]
|24||4||4||1||2||0||0||0||0||0||30||5
|-
|[[1989–90 Alpha Ethniki|1989–90]]
|33||3||4||0||4||1||0||0||5||0||46||4
|-
|[[1990–91 Alpha Ethniki|1990–91]]
|24||4||3||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||27||5
|-
|[[1991–92 Alpha Ethniki|1991–92]]
|31||4||12||3||4||0||0||0||0||0||47||7
|-
|[[1992–93 Alpha Ethniki|1992–93]]
|30||1||7||0||3||0||0||0||1||0||41||1
|-
|[[1993–94 Alpha Ethniki|1993–94]]
|24||2||8||1||1||0||0||0||1||0||34||3
|-
|[[1994–95 Alpha Ethniki|1994–95]]
|23||1||10||2||6||0||0||0||0||0||39||3
|-
|[[1995–96 Alpha Ethniki|1995–96]]
|22||3||9||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||34||3
|-
|[[1996–97 Alpha Ethniki|1996–97]]
|23||2||6||2||6||0||0||0||1||0||36||4
|-
|[[1997–98 Alpha Ethniki|1997–98]]
|13||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||15||0
|-
!colspan=3|Career total
!447||35||96||11||38||1||4||0||8||0||593||47
|}
{{notelist}}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan=13 | [[Greece national football team|Greece]]
|1982||1||0
|-
|1983||1||0
|-
|1984||7||1
|-
|1985||5||0
|-
|1986||8||0
|-
|1987||7||0
|-
|1988||6||2
|-
|1989||7||0
|-
|1990||8||2
|-
|1991||4||1
|-
|1992||5||0
|-
|1993||6||0
|-
|1994||6||0
|-
! colspan=2|Total!!71!!6
{{Fb cs footer |u=2022-07-15 |s={{NFT player|pid=14368}}|date=July 2022}}

:''Scores and results list Greece's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Manolas goal''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=12924|title=Stelios Manolas|website=eu-football.info}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Stelios Manolas
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
|align="center"|1
|{{dts|9 October 1984}}
|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Athens Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece
|{{fb|ISR}}
|align="center"|2–2
|align="center"|2–2
|[[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|-
|align="center"|2
|rowspan="2"|{{dts|17 February 1988}}
|rowspan="2"|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Athens Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|NIR}}
|align="center"|1–1
|align="center" rowspan="2"|3–2
|rowspan="2"|[[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|-
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|2–2
|-
|align="center"|4
|rowspan="2"|{{dts|28 March 1990}}
|rowspan="2"|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Athens Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece
|rowspan="2"|{{fb|ISR}}
|align="center"|1–0
|align="center" rowspan="2"|2–1
|rowspan="2"|[[Exhibition game#Association football|Friendly]]
|-
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|2–1
|-
|align="center"|6
|{{dts|23 January 1991}}
|[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Athens Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece
|{{fb|POR}}
|align="center"|2–2
|align="center"|3–2
|[[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying]]
|-
|}

==Managerial statistics==
{{updated|match played 17 May 2016}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nat
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="8"|Record
|-
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
|-
|align="left"|[[Greece national under-21 football team|Greece U21]]
|{{flagicon|Greece}}
|align="left"|1 July 2002
|align="left"|30 June 2004
{{WDL|17|5|6|6|for=20|against=18|diff=yes}}
|-
|align="left"|[[Niki Volos F.C.|Niki Volos]]
|{{flagicon|Greece}}
|align="left"|6 November 2012
|align="left"|17 February 2013
{{WDL|16|6|7|3|for=16|against=9|diff=yes}}
|-
|align="left"|[[AEK Athens F.C. Academy|AEK Athens U20]]
|{{flagicon|Greece}}
|align="left"|1 July 2014
|align="left"|13 October 2016
{{WDL|34|18|4|12|for=58|against=38|diff=yes}}
|-
|align="left"|[[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] (caretaker)
|{{flagicon|Greece}}
|align="left"|20 October 2015
|align="left"|30 October 2015
{{WDL|2|2|0|0|for=6|against=1|diff=yes}}
|-
|align="left"|[[AEK Athens F.C.|AEK Athens]] (caretaker)
|{{flagicon|Greece}}
|align="left"|20 April 2016
|align="left"|19 May 2016
{{WDL|4|2|1|1|for=5|against=4|diff=yes}}
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|73|33|18|22|for=105|against=70|diff=yes}}
|}

==Honours==

===As a player===

'''AEK Athens''' 
*[[Super League Greece|Alpha Ethniki]]: [[1988–89 Alpha Ethniki|1988–89]], [[1991–92 Alpha Ethniki|1991–92]], [[1992–93 Alpha Ethniki|1992–93]], [[1993–94 Alpha Ethniki|1993–94]]
*[[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]]: [[1982–83 Greek Football Cup|1982–83]], [[1995–96 Greek Football Cup|1995–96]], [[1996–97 Greek Football Cup|1996–97]]
*[[Greek Super Cup]]: [[1989 Greek Super Cup|1989]], [[1996 Greek Super Cup|1996]]
*[[Greek League Cup]]: 1990

===As a manager===
'''AEK Athens'''
*Greek Cup: [[2015–16 Greek Football Cup|2015–16]]

==See also==
*[[List of one-club men in association football]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{sports links}}

{{Greece squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Stelios Manolas managerial positions
|list1=
{{Greece national under-21 football team managers}}
{{Niki Volos F.C. managers}}
{{AEK Athens F.C. managers}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 = 
{{Super League Greece Greek footballer of the year}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manolas, Stelios}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Greek men's footballers]]
[[Category:Greece men's international footballers]]
[[Category:AEK Athens F.C. players]]
[[Category:Super League Greece players]]
[[Category:Greek football managers]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:People from Naxos]]
[[Category:Niki Volos F.C. managers]]
[[Category:AEK Athens F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Men's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Greek beach soccer players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from the South Aegean]]
[[Category:20th-century Greek sportsmen]]