MOHALI, JULY 15 — Indian Super League side Punjab FC has secured the services of veteran Greek tactician Pavlos Dermitzakis as the club’s new head coach on a two-year contract. The 57-year-old manager joins the Shers from Greek Super League 2 side Panionios FC, bringing over twenty years of coaching experience from various levels of the Greek football pyramid, including the country’s top-tier division.
Dermitzakis boasts a highly decorated domestic track record in Europe, having successfully guided multiple clubs to higher divisions. He registered back-to-back league titles with second-division side Veria 1960 during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns, and subsequently spearheaded Panserraikos FC’s return to the Greek Super League in 2022 after a twelve-year absence. Throughout his coaching career, which began with Ergotelis during the 2002-03 season, he has also managed top-tier clubs like Panthrakikos, PAOK, Asteras Tripolis, and OFI Crete.
The new head coach stated that the long-term vision of the club acted as a major factor in his decision to move to India.
“What attracted me most was the vision of the club. Punjab FC is not just focused on results today, but on building something that can be successful for many years,” Dermitzakis declared. “The emphasis on developing young Indian players, combined with the ambition to compete at the highest level, made this a very exciting opportunity.”
Prior to transition into management, the tactician enjoyed a prominent 15-year playing career in Greece as a forward. He accumulated over 500 professional appearances and scored more than 200 goals, representing clubs such as his hometown team Kavala FC, PAOK, Athinaikos, and Kalamata.
Dermitzakis asserted that his experience in developing competitive squads matches the roadmap designed by the management. He maintained that his experience in building competitive teams and helping players improve fits well with the direction the club is taking, adding that he is highly motivated to begin working with the squad.
