Panagiotis Triadis: 'Intelligent' Robert Lalthlamuana could play in Europe

The 27-year-old winger opened up on his time with NorthEast United, return to ISL and more.

Panagiotis Triadis had a brief albeit an eventful stint at NorthEast United in the Indian Super League. The club signed him in the winter transfer window of the 2018-19 season to bolster their attacking options. They looked at him as added ammunition in their charge towards making it to their first-ever playoffs.

Under the tutelage of Eelco Schattorie, the Highlanders successfully made it to the semis with Triadis playing his part in the historic run. The Greek winger is a fearless and skillful dribbler and fancies a shot from range. “In my head, even if Sergio Ramos was in front of me, I am going to go on and dribble him,” Pangiotis Triadis remarked, a comment that encapsulates his confidence and belief in his abilities.

He bagged two goals and an assist before parting ways with the club, including a stupendous strike from distance against Mumbai City FC in Guwahati last season. Triadis spoke glowingly about his time at NorthEast United, cherishing the memories he made and left the door open for a potential return in the future.

Speaking to Anant Tyagi on the ISL’s official Instagram account, he said, “I loved my time at NorthEast. I had a blast and got a lot of love from the fans. It was absolutely overwhelming in the beginning. I was welcomed with open arms and it was a great feeling. If you feel the love of the fans behind you, it is easier and more fun to play. The way our past ended was not the best, but I mean never say never. I had a fun time there so why not.”

The forward grew up in Germany and dreamt of becoming a professional footballer ever since he was old enough to kick the ball. His father encouraged him in his sporting endeavour after noticing his talent at a nascent age. Triadis played in several countries with Wehen Wiesbaden, Xanthi and Apollon Smyrnis before the chance to play in India came along.

When he first received the text from his agent informing him of the interest, he thought of the move as 'random.' However, he was was satisfied by the terms and accordingly embarked on his new journey. At first, he had almost no idea about the ISL and everything was a huge unknown to him.

“To be honest with you, after I signed, I had absolutely no idea about the ISL. I had heard of a few teams. I had done my research. NorthEast has one of the better fanbases in India. That is not only because of Guwahati. It is as you mentioned, because eight states come together and people ride five or six hours to see us play. That is a privilege for us,” he remarked.

The Highlanders possessed an exciting group of players in the 2018-19 campaign that almost enabled them to enter the final, with unfortunate injuries to key players towards the end derailing their dream run. Triadis believes that one of the chief reasons for their success was the competitive spirit forged due to the constant battle for a spot in the first-team.    

“It was a healthy competition. We pushed each other in different ways and in the right direction. The competition that we had among the foreigners also helped the Indian boys. We were a big family off the pitch, but on the pitch there was some healthy competition and that I believe is the key to success.”

The winger also formed an instant rapport with Bartholomew Ogbeche and Federico Gallego in attack. Some of the trio’s link-up play was tantalizing, as they complimented each other perfectly. Ogbeche was the ruthless striker. His tally of 12 goals that season vindicates the fact. On the other hand, Gallego pulled the strings behind him, whilst Triadis was the maverick on the left. 

“I had heard of Ogbeche. He also played in Europe. We complimented each other very well. He is a strong, stable striker and I am more of a very movable, dynamic player. Bart (Ogbeche) playing up top, me on the left, Feda (Federico Gallego) behind Bart, I think it was a nice little triangle. If you think about the styles of play, it fit perfectly. Feda is the player that had an eye for a pass, I was the one creating chances, taking opponents one-on-one and Bart finishing. It was a good combination. Too bad,” the 27-year-old opined.

After his prolific 2018-19 season, Ogbeche followed Schattorie to Kerala Blasters in the following campaign. He was also named club captain by the tactician, a move that attracted criticism from various sections of the footballing community in India. Panagiotis Triadis shared his views on the same.

He opined, “He is a great player and a very smart individual and would say things that would get you motivated. He is a very good person and an even better captain. I know there was an outrage in India when Ogbeche was made captain at Kerala. I understand why he was made captain, but I don’t necessarily agree with it because he (Sandesh Jhingan) was such a great player and has such a big career. But I believe he should have stayed captain, but I understand why Ogbeche was put in such a big leadership role because he is absolutely fantastic in it.”

The exuberant winger also played with a few exciting Indian talents like Rowllin Borges and Redeem Tlang during his time at the club. Last season, Rowllin was one of the best players in the ISL and was the driving force in midfield for Mumbai City FC. His passing range, intelligent positioning and all-encompassing performances in the middle of the park were a joy to behold. His former teammate heaped more praise on him by calling him 'one of the best players in India.'

Redeem Tlang is another exciting young prospect that Triadis rates highly. The 25-year-old winger sealed a move to FC Goa recently and the Greek forward is convinced that he will prove to be a great signing for the Gaurs.

“Redeem is a very good player. He is a very consistent player. From Redeem, you know what you get. He will always give you a 7 out of 10 and then push for an 8 or 9 out of 10. But he is a very consistent player and that is also a very difficult quality to have. That is Redeem’s strongest suit, that he can play at a very high level and be a competitor. He can also score goals, he is good at keeping the ball and he is very strong for his position. It is a very good acquisition for FC Goa. He is also a very good kid off the field, so it is absolutely a great transfer.”

He also spoke highly of Robert Lalthlamuana, the left-back known for his marauding runs and for possessing a powerful shot in his locker. Panagiotis Triadis stated, “That player was amazing. What a player he was! He has a very clean technique, he reminds me very much of a European footballer and he could be playing in Europe. He had great technical capabilities, was fast, was strong and he understood the game and is a very intelligent player.”

Triadis also shared the dressing room with one of NorthEast's marquee signings Asamoah Gyan. The veteran forward is one of the most fascinating personalities to ever grace the field. The Ghanaian is the all-time leading goalscorer for his country with 51 goals and is also the top African goalscorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup, with six strikes to his name. Furthermore, he has an amicable, approachable and humble demeanour that makes him quite unique.  

The attacker explained, “Asamoah is more like your best friend from next door. He is like you can’t feel that this is Asamoah Gyan, one of the top scorers in the whole World Cup. This man has played everywhere. He's made millions in football. He is not that person at all. He is literally a friend to everyone, a very lovable and a very funny person.”

Following Schattorie’s departure, NorthEast United brought in Robert Jarni as his replacement. When asked about his experience of playing under the two coaches, Panagiotis Triadis explained that they both have very different styles. He mentioned that Schattorie focuses on meticulously preparing his sides tactically, whilst Jarni is more of a man-manager, who will put an arm around the shoulder to get the best out of his players.

Lastly, Panagiotis Triadis explained the reasons why he couldn’t join any other ISL team after leaving NorthEast United. Moreover, he revealed that he would be willing to return to India in a professional capacity if he receives the right offer.

“So, here’s the truth. After I finished with NorthEast, I had a few offers from the Indian Super League. There were some complications with my contract at NorthEast that prohibited me from coming back to the league and playing for another team. At the moment, I am in touch with a few teams."

"For me, personally, I would absolutely love to come back. Honestly, it is not up to me. I think if the right offer comes and we can come to an agreement, I would absolutely have nothing against coming back. I would love to come and play in India again. It was a great time there and I would love to play next season there,” Panagiotis Triadis concluded.