View source for Nikolaos Nioplias

[[Image:Nikos-Nioplias.jpg|thumb|200px|Nikos Nioplias]]
[[Image:Nikolaos-Nioplias-02.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Nikos Nioplias]], coach for the U21 Greek National Football Team]]
'''Nikolaos "Nikos" Nioplias''' or '''Nioblias''', born on [[January 17|17 January]] [[1965]] is a former [[football (soccer)|football]] player and currently a coach. 

The playmaker's career began with [[OFI FC|OFI Crete FC]] in [[1982]], where he remained for a decade, winning the [[Greek Football Cup|Greek Cup]] in [[1987]]. He then moved to [[Panathinaikos FC]]. In his first season with the greens, he won the cup again and, in 1994/[[1995|95]], the domestic double. The next season the [[Athens]] side retained the title and Nioplias played a vital role in their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. In [[1996]] he returned to OFI and remained there for six seasons until a move to [[Halkidona FC]], a newly-promoted side. There, he ended his career in the Summer of [[2004]], having racked up 509 Greek top-flight appearances, second only to [[Mimis Domazos]] - 363 appearances with [[OFI FC]].

==International career==
Meanwhile, he carved out a distinguished international career. Playing for Greece at the [[1984]] UEFA European Under-18 Championship finals, four years later he helped his nation to the final of the UEFA European U21 Championship. He graduated to the senior team, and was in the squad that qualified for the [[1994]] FIFA World Cup. In all he won 44 caps, and his move into coaching was no surprise as he was considered a natural instructor even on the pitch.

==Coaching success==
After gaining a diploma in the Netherlands, in January [[2005]] he gained his first coaching role: Coach of the Under 19 Greek national football team. He proved an immediate success as he masterminded Greece's progress to these finals in late May with wins against Scotland, Austria and Slovakia. In the latter game, when Greece only needed a point, he played an attacking game for a 2-0 victory and explained: "We played to win, because we must never allow expedience to come into the picture for such young players. Football should be joyful and that's the idea we are trying to instill in them."

In [[2007]], Nioplias became coach of the [[Under-21 National Football Team]] of Greece. On [[December 8]], [[2009]], he was selected to replace [[Henk ten Cate]] as coach of [[Panathinaikos FC|Panathinaikos]]. Nioplias responded by winning the league title but was sacked the following season after a string of disappointing results.


[[Category:Football Players|Nioplias, Nikolaos]]
[[Category:Under 19 National Football Team Coaches|Nioplias, Nikolaos]]
[[Category:Under 21 National Football Team Coaches|Nioplias, Nikolaos]]
[[Category:1965 births|Nioplias, Nikolaos]]