Punjab FC appoint Pavlos Dermitzakis as head coach
Mohali, July 13
Punjab FC have appointed Greek tactician Pavlos Dermitzakis as the club's new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season. The 57-year-old joins the Shers from Greek Super League 2 side Panionios F.C. on a two-year contract, bringing with him over two decades of coaching experience across the Greek football pyramid, including the country's top division.
A highly experienced manager, Dermitzakis began his coaching career with Ergotelis in the 2002-03 season in the fourth tier of Greek football. He joined Atsalenios the next season, helping them gain promotion to the third division, and continued for four seasons at the club. He maintained an unbeaten home record with the Heraklion-based club in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
He joined GS Diagoras 1905 in the next season, achieving promotion to Beta Ethniki, the second tier of Greek football, with an unbeaten home record. He has also served as the Head Coach of Greek Super League Clubs Panthrakikos, PAOK, Asteras Tripolis, and OFI Crete.
Dermitzakis was appointed as the Manager of second division side Veria 1960, and under his guidance, the club won back-to-back titles in the North group of the division in 2020-21 and 2021-22. After joining Panserraikos FC in 2022, he led the return of the club to the Greek Super League after a 12-year absence.
Before embarking on his managerial career, Dermitzakis enjoyed a distinguished playing career as a forward spanning 15 years, playing his entire career in Greece, starting with his hometown club Kavala FC. He made more than 500 professional appearances, scoring over 200 goals, and represented PAOK, Athinaikos, Kalamata, Panegialios, E. A Rethimniakou, Anagennisi Karditsa, Atromitos, and Ergotelis.
Speaking after taking charge of Punjab FC, Dermitzakis said, "What attracted me most was the vision of the club. Punjab FC is not just focused on results today, but on building something that can be successful for many years.
"The emphasis on developing young Indian players, combined with the ambition to compete at the highest level, made this a very exciting opportunity. I believe my experience of building competitive teams and helping players improve fits well with the direction the club is taking. I am excited to get started with the team," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Another foreign coach, but at least this one has legitimate pedigree - taking a club from third division to top flight, back-to-back titles, 20+ years of experience. His quote about building for the long term gives me hope. Punjab FC has been doing good work in youth development, hope Dermitzakis continues that. Good luck, Coach! 🇮🇳⚽
Honestly, I'm cautiously optimistic. The man has taken multiple clubs up the divisions in Greece - that shows he can build a winning culture. His 15-year playing career with 200+ goals proves he understands attacking football. But the real test will be how he adapts to Indian conditions and players. Let's see if he can turn Punjab into a top-half team. 🤞
I like that he specifically mentioned developing young Indian players. That's the kind of commitment we need from foreign coaches - not just looking for quick results with expensive foreign imports. His success at Veria and Panserraikos shows he can work with limited resources too. Punjab FC is making smart moves. 👏
Wait, wasn't Panionios the club that had financial troubles? Hope Punjab FC did proper due diligence. But his record speaks for itself - unbeaten home seasons, promotions, tactical flexibility. The Greek league is competitive, so he's seen real pressure. Just hope the ISL's physicality doesn't surprise him. Good move overall though. 😊
Exciting times for Punjab FC! Dermitzakis sounds like a proper football man - started from the bottom
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