External administrative factors want the “Resurrection” of the Department
The suspension of the activities of the basketball team Omonia is a matter that cannot be taken lightly. And for Omoniatis, but also for the general basketball, (and not only), public.
It is true that the people of Omonia did not have the proper presence on the courts, having left completely helpless the team. So every Omonian must have felt both shame and guilt for what happened.
The people of Omonia should not feel at all proud of their presence in indoor stadiums in general, in recent years. Here the admirable volleyball team that is a title-making machine and fails to gather the crowd it deserves. The highlight of the phenomenon was last Sunday's match for the Super Cup against Anorthosis, where the (once again) trophy winners played in front of 120 Omonia residents!
Omonia failed to sell the 300 tickets allocated to it for Friday's match. “This is not possible”, said the president of the association Marios Argyridis in the statements of SPΕRFM 95 last Monday. And of course the man is absolutely right.
Yes, people don't go to the stadium, but this fact is not causally related to Omonia not being able to form a team, not even for B category in basketball. This is unthinkable. Whatever problems there are in the economy that President Marios Argyridis cited and – of course – we completely respect, something like that doesn't… come into question.
It is something unimaginable for many. But not for those who know the attitude of the official Omonia towards the specific department from…ancient times. The mentality is this: Whether the department is there or not, it does the same. Not to mention, that most of them were of the opinion, it is better not to exist.
Whatever this unfortunate section has achieved – even if this is the minimum for the history of Omonia – in its path, it has been done by the excessive zeal and great passion of some people who have served it from time to time. No need to mention names. Those who have been in constant contact with the department…know.
This evil mentality has brought the department to this infuriating point. A department that has been left to its own devices since 1965 when it was established until now, it has no title to show in the A' division. What does it have to show? The team has finished third in the 1994-95, 1995-96, 2006-07 seasons, has competed in a cup final in 2002-2003 where they lost to APOEL and has two appearances in the final four (2003-2004, 2018-19).
The match of 5000 tickets
What is worth noting on this particular aspect is that the final between Omonia and APOEL which took place in the “Eleftheria” Hall » 20 years ago … he sold 5000 tickets! Based on the available data, it is the largest number of tickets available for an official basketball game in Cyprus between Cypriot teams!
How this fact coincides with the fact that Omonia is currently unable to form a team to play even in the B' Division is best explained by the mentality of the club's managers. This situation – i.e. the complete inactivity of the team – has worried some people in Omonia who love the sport.
According to our information, which is not open to any doubt, external factors say they are ready to “get close”, make contacts with the management and if everything goes well, things will be led to an agreement for the good of the team. Let them all decide together how to help the department to regenerate.
Certainly if something like this happens, that is, if they take over the department – certainly in collaboration with the board of the union – it will be a very important development, with the basketball department is now turning the page, entering a new era where the goal will be to create a strong team with its eyes turned upwards.
There is no one left over
We recall an excerpt from the recent announcement of the board of the union: “At the same time, however, the great effort by the board of OMONIA continues for professional collaborations, which from the new year will create a strong total so that OMONIA can participate with claims in the next season's championship. There is no one left behind in this effort and we are making an open call to those who believe they can help in the regeneration of the Basketball department”.
So these people are here, they are positive about helping, they are experienced in matters management and sports and certainly not … heaven-descended in the Omonia family. They are all people who are working and struggling to find solutions and perspectives for the “clover”. Let words become deeds. Because if they don't happen, I'm afraid that next time like this, there won't even be a question of basketball.
