Breaking the world endurance record is great, but there is something greater
As Omonia informed yesterday, over 9200 season tickets have been allocated for this year's season! Omonia fans broke another ticket record by showing their love for the team again (and again). Actually. It is repeated to be consolidated by all. Actually. Because we humans are ultimately our actions not our theories. We are defined by what we choose to do.
The first record was the approximately 8,500,000 season tickets sold in the 2010-2011 season. It was then a very positive moment since last year Omonia had won the championship after eight years of silence in championship titles and had carried out one of the biggest transfers – in terms of name – that had ever been made in Cypriot football by adding to its strength Lua Lua.
His arrival caused the largest gathering of team fans at the airport in the annals of Cypriot football. It was unimaginable by Cypriot football standards what happened that night in August 2010.
Last year – season 2022-23 – this record was broken with Omonia having a number of season tickets just over 9 thousands. Number that lasted until the day before yesterday.
But these are not the greatest achievements of the world of Omonia. The greatest feat that the world of the group has accomplished is another. It is the feat that is called (literally) saving the team. Yes, exactly that. In the 2012-13 season, Omonia was on the brink of financial ruin and possibly extinction. The most popular team in the country was in danger of existence.
The administration at the time, having no other way to find money – the March criteria had to be met – appealed to the people to help. The people listened to the administration's plea, they responded perfectly. He ran, he was deprived, but above all he put his love for the team and managed in a short time to collect an amount of around 3 million euros, achieving what seemed almost impossible, before the appeal.
If it were not for that historic but painful for Cyprus decision of the Eurogroup in Brussels, to “cut” the deposits (the decision was taken on March 15, 2013) to stop the unprecedented dynamics of inflows into the green fund (justifiably the world froze and ran frantically to the ATMs while the banks were closed until further notice) the amount of money collected (general contributions, saving contributions of 1000 euros, season tickets, events, registration to the TEAM service) could possibly reach an unfathomable height for Cypriot data.
Such was the mobilization of the people by their burning desire to get their team out of trouble. With this titanic effort, the players who also went to the events in the villages together with the administrators to collect money for the team were bound. and internationally, which it seems will never live again, ultimately worked positively for the team because it mentally bonded players and fans more.
The performance of the team gradually increased (the start was not good and there was a change in the technical leadership in September with Toni Savevski replacing Neophytos Larkou) the team simultaneously raised the level of the spectacle it offered and in the end it finished Tuesday. With a 3-1 victory over AEK in the GSP in the last matchday, he checked his European ticket amid delirium from the crowd. Schebri scored one goal (18'), Alves scored two (43', 90'+2).
< p>The greens achieved a feat that season, since they were initially the outsiders for the top four, but eventually managed to take a place in the frame and then realize the goal of exiting the Europa League.
And another fact indicative of the magical image that had gradually built up that season. “Let's go, let's go, the champions!” shouted the Omonia fans in the match with Anorthosis (4-0 30th matchday) after the fourth goal against Anorthosis, a sign of their satisfaction and enthusiasm for the football played by their team , the last months. The goals in that match were scored by A. Alves (5', 90'), Schebri (84'), Asis (86')
Omonoia with such a crowd (that does, instead of talking) can look to the future with optimism.
