Interview with Commentator Dan O'Hagan r.e. Sokratis

Dan O'Hagan - From the Premier League to the Champions league, Serie A, Bundesliga and World Cups, Dan has covered a lot so far in his career as a commentator and reporter. He has seen a lot of Sokratis in recent years and i'm delighted to share this interview below that I have managed to do with him. Enjoy!








CD: Hi Dan, first of all thank you for kindly agreeing to give me and all Arsenal fans a bit more of an insight into Sokratis Papastathopoulos. So, with the imminent arrival at the Emirates, what kind of player will Arsenal be getting?

DOH: In short, an old-fashioned centre-half. Sokratis is the epitome of rugged physicality, the kind of defender who puts his body on the line for the cause. He’s no stranger to a yellow card or two. He’s better with the ball at his feet than he’s given credit for too, often stepping forward into midfield to start or join an attack. The kind of defender Arsenal have been missing for years.

CD: What are his strength's and weaknesses? 

DOH: He’s certainly a leader. Dortmund’s defence has been very unsettled over the past year or so, but Sokratis was the one constant, helping first Marc Bartra, then Ömer Toprak and Manuel Akanji to settle in. At defensive set-pieces he’s an excellent organiser, and a commanding presence. In terms of weaknesses, he does have a habit of collecting bookings and therefore suspensions, but if anything he’s reined that in a touch from his days with Genoa and Werder Bremen. I’d say you can still expect him to miss 3-5 games though suspension in any given season. Pace-wise he’s never going to win any Olympic medals, but he’s far from sluggish. He’s even been known to thump in the odd 25-yarder into the top corner!

CD: How well do you think he will adapt to the premier league? 

DOH: No concerns whatsoever about how he’ll adapt. The Bundesliga is certainly in a football sense on a par with, if not better than the bulk of the Premier League and a man with nearly 80 caps for Greece will have no issues settling in at Arsenal. Technically he’s very adept, so again, with Arsenal he’ll be very much at home.

CD: Are you surprised he hasn't been snapped up by a (i.e. another) top European side sooner? 

DOH: Arguably Dortmund are a top European side. He’s had a brief spell with Milan too, so he’s hardly been playing in football backwaters. His is a solid, if not quite stand-out, CV in Serie A and the Bundesliga.

CD: Bearing in mind he is 29 and has a lot of experience at a high level, do you think he could do a good job at improving younger centre backs already at the club such as fellow countryman Mavropanos and Chambers/Holding? 

DOH: As I said earlier, he’s a leader. I rather imagine Arsenal have moved for him for what he can bring to the first team pool in the here-and-now as opposed to any mentoring role with younger players, but no doubt they will benefit from playing alongside a player of strong European experience.

CD: What will Sokratis add to the Arsenal team that they may have been lacking in recent years? 

DOH: Physicality and muscle. Sokratis isn’t a player to be messed with by opponents. He’ll put himself about, organise and lead. I’m not sure how good his English is, but once it’s up to scratch he’s the sort of character that will make himself heard.

CD: This could link to my previous question, but as you are probably aware, the Arsenal defence in recent seasons has been very poor and weak. Do you think Sokratis will strengthen that part of the team right from the start and we'll notice a refreshing difference? 

DOH: It’s always hard to say that one player will completely change a team, as so much depends on what happens with the squad around him, but Sokratis is certainly a good addition for a club crying out for on-field leaders. I’ll temper any praise with a reminder that on his watch Dortmund’s defence was never anything more than “adequate” certainly compared to the likes of Bayern Munich, but in terms of improving on what Arsenal currently have in that position, Sokratis looks to be an excellent signing.

CD: Finally, overall and in your personal opinion, will it be a good signing for Arsenal and should the fans be excited about it? 

DOH: Depends on how excited you get about central defenders! He’s a player I’ve always enjoyed watching, for that heart-on-the-sleeve mentality and all-action commitment. You always feel a truly horrific tackle and red card are never too far away, but so long as he tempers that side of his game, it’s a signing to be very pleased about.




Once again, I thank Dan for agreeing to do this, I wish him all the best for the future and i'm sure he'll be kind enough to answer any questions we have for him r.e. new signings in the future.

Chris.