Rebuilding Omonoia: From Instability and Experimentation to Structure, Success and a New Vision

Football clubs often speak about long-term planning, institutional development and learning from mistakes. Far fewer manage to demonstrate it in practice. Omonoia Nicosia’s journey from the aftermath of their 2021 league title to their eventual return to the summit of Cypriot football was not simply a story of managerial appointments, transfer windows and results on the pitch. It became a broader story of organisational change, financial reconstruction and the difficult process of creating a sustainable football structure. At various points it involved uncertainty, public criticism, internal disputes and supporter frustration. Yet by the end of that process, Omonoia had evolved from a club appearing trapped in recurring cycles of instability into one attempting to build a model capable of delivering both sporting and institutional success.

When Henning Berg led Omonoia to the league title in 2021, the achievement felt like the culmination of a long period of development rather than the beginning of a new era. Berg had introduced tactical discipline, organisation and a clearly defined football identity. His side combined defensive stability with consistency and maturity, creating a team that supporters quickly connected with. Working in the background during that period was Simos Tarapoulouzis, operating within football operations and recruitment. While Berg naturally became the visible face of success, figures operating behind the scenes received considerably less attention. At the time, few supporters focused on internal structures because results were providing all the answers.

The difficulties began almost immediately after that success. Omonoia’s title defence during the 2021/22 season quickly started to lose momentum, and supporters increasingly felt the club had failed to strengthen sufficiently during the summer transfer window. Expectations had risen dramatically following the championship victory, particularly given the prospect of Champions League qualification and the financial opportunities attached to European competition. However, many felt the squad lacked both quality and depth to sustain a challenge across multiple competitions. By the winter period, concerns surrounding football planning had become increasingly visible. Sporting Director Neophytos Larkou departed before the end of 2021, while the January transfer window ultimately delivered only Maximiliano Lovera and Tim Matavž.

By January 2022, the atmosphere surrounding Omonoia had shifted significantly. A 1–1 draw away against Anorthosis saw the club fall into seventh place and intensified concerns surrounding football decisions, long-term ambitions and the wider direction of the organisation. Tarapoulouzis increasingly became part of those discussions, largely because many supporters struggled to understand exactly where his responsibilities began and ended. Questions emerged not because supporters necessarily opposed him personally, but because uncertainty surrounding football authority at Omonoia was becoming increasingly visible.

To his credit, Tarapoulouzis publicly addressed those concerns through appearances on Omonoia’s television programme Total Green, where he explained that his responsibilities involved both scouting and assisting the first team. More importantly, he clarified a point that would later become highly significant: Henning Berg retained final authority over incoming players and recruitment decisions. Press officer Andreas Demetriou later publicly reinforced the same position. However, football explanations rarely satisfy supporters when performances deteriorate and frustration surrounding results had already reached a stage where perception increasingly outweighed clarification.

Eventually, a 4–2 defeat against APOEL in February led to Berg’s dismissal. Neil Lennon subsequently arrived and delivered the Cyprus Cup, providing silverware and temporary optimism. However, beneath the surface, the underlying problems remained unresolved. Rather than creating continuity, Omonoia increasingly appeared to be moving from one short-term solution to another. The following seasons reflected exactly that pattern. Lennon departed, Yannick Ferrera survived only seventeen matches and Sofronis Avgousti later delivered another Cyprus Cup. Despite occasional success, uncertainty surrounding football direction persisted.

In June 2023, Omonoia attempted another reset through the appointment of Jesper Jansson as Sporting Director, almost two years after Larkou’s departure. The objective was clear: create a modern football structure and establish a more defined hierarchy surrounding football decisions. Instead, the appointment evolved into one of the most controversial periods in the club’s recent history. Questions quickly emerged surrounding football authority and internal processes. Supporters increasingly wondered where football power truly existed within the organisation and whether Jansson represented the beginning of a genuine long-term strategy.

During this period, Simos Tarapoulouzis quietly departed the club shortly after Jansson’s arrival. At the time, the departure attracted relatively little attention outside Omonoia itself. In hindsight, however, it increasingly appeared to be another example of the organisational disruption affecting football operations. What initially looked like a routine change within the football department would later gain considerably greater significance once events unfolded.

Avgousti remained in charge until January 2024 before being dismissed despite Omonoia sitting fifth in the league. Many supporters viewed the decision as harsh and questioned whether the Cypriot coach had been treated fairly. His replacement was another Norwegian, Kjetil Rekdal, who inherited many of the same problems previously encountered by Berg. Recruitment once again became the dominant discussion surrounding the club and eventually centred around one transfer in particular: Dušan Bakić.

What initially appeared to be a routine transfer later developed into one of the most confusing and controversial episodes in recent Omonoia history. According to Papastavrou, Jansson repeatedly pushed for Bakić’s arrival despite concerns surrounding the financial demands attached to the transfer. Papastavrou later publicly claimed that Omonoia discovered the player’s actual representative had requested figures approximately €300,000 lower than those initially communicated to the club. Papastavrou subsequently accused Jansson of betraying the trust placed in him and publicly questioned the involvement of intermediaries during negotiations. Jansson strongly denied the allegations and later pursued legal action. The situation became even more complicated when Rekdal later revealed on the #NOCHOFTES podcast that both he and Jansson had believed the transfer itself had collapsed. According to Rekdal, they were discussing alternative football matters when Bakić unexpectedly appeared at training. Eventually, Bakić moved on loan to Karmiotissa during a period in which Tarapoulouzis himself was serving there as Technical Director. The entire situation became symbolic of the wider uncertainty surrounding football operations at Omonoia during that period.

By February 2024, both Rekdal and Jansson had departed and Omonoia once again found themselves searching for direction. Within only a matter of months, the club had gone from appointing a Sporting Director intended to modernise football operations to dismissing both the Sporting Director and head coach. For supporters, it increasingly felt as though the club had returned to familiar territory – restarting projects before previous ones had even properly begun.

Papastavrou turned toward a familiar face. Yiannis Anastasiou was appointed caretaker manager until the end of the season, a decision which initially appeared logical given his previous association with the club. Anastasiou had briefly managed Omonoia during the early stages of Papastavrou’s ownership following his arrival in 2018 and therefore represented someone familiar with both the environment and the president’s thinking. The appointment brought temporary stability but little lasting momentum. Omonoia eventually reached the Cyprus Cup final and had an opportunity to salvage the season while potentially securing a third consecutive cup triumph. Instead, they were comprehensively dismantled by Pafos, ending hopes of rescuing something substantial from an increasingly frustrating campaign.

What followed during the summer generated another wave of confusion among supporters. Rather than leaving the club, Anastasiou was promoted into a newly created role as Strategic Advisor. The title itself generated immediate debate because few people appeared entirely certain what it actually involved. Supporters questioned whether Anastasiou would influence transfers, whether he would select the next head coach or whether he had effectively become a Sporting Director under a different title. Questions emerged because there were very few answers.

The club subsequently appointed Lithuanian coach Valdas Dambrauskas and initially the decision appeared inspired. Omonoia started strongly and performances quickly attracted praise across Cyprus. Journalists openly admired the football being played, with some suggesting it represented the best football they had seen from an Omonoia side. There was movement, intensity and attacking football that generated considerable optimism among supporters. However, by the end of October, the narrative had changed dramatically. Three consecutive defeats immediately altered perceptions and criticism surrounding Dambrauskas’ team selections and tactical decisions became increasingly common.

Dambrauskas was dismissed in November and Anastasiou once again stepped into the role. The club simultaneously briefed journalists that they were actively searching for a permanent replacement, creating expectations that another long-term appointment would soon follow. That appointment never materialised and Anastasiou remained in charge for the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Ultimately, the campaign failed to meet either supporter or board expectations. Anastasiou later departed the club, although even his farewell generated controversy. His social media statement highlighted achievements such as European progression, a third-place finish and statistical success in attack, but many supporters interpreted the message as self-congratulatory rather than reflective.

Then came June and perhaps the most revealing moment of the entire process.

Papastavrou sat down for an extended interview on Omonoia TV where, for the first time in several years, it felt as though every lingering question had been placed openly on the table. Reflecting on the season, he admitted that the club had lost something important and specifically highlighted issues surrounding seriousness, continuity and stability. Perhaps more significantly, he openly admitted that dismissing Henning Berg represented one of his greatest regrets.

He also offered perhaps the clearest explanation yet regarding Simos Tarapoulouzis and his role within the club.

“To a certain extent, the responsibilities are the same as Anastasiou’s. The only difference is that Simos and Henning continue to be very good partners, they get along and move in the same direction. They are more partners than each other’s bosses.”

Suddenly, decisions that had previously appeared disconnected began making considerably more sense.

The return of Berg was not simply about bringing back a successful coach. It represented an attempt to reconstruct a football ecosystem that had previously delivered success. Tarapoulouzis returned despite mixed reactions from sections of the fanbase who still associated him with previous frustrations surrounding recruitment. Internally, however, his importance appeared considerably greater than many initially realised. Rather than functioning solely as a scout, Tarapoulouzis increasingly operated as Berg’s closest football ally, acting as a bridge between coaching staff, recruitment and football operations.

Omonoia simultaneously strengthened its football department through the arrival of Tor-Kristian Karlsen, whose experience at clubs such as Leverkusen, Monaco, Zenit and Maccabi Haifa expanded the club’s international recruitment network and football expertise. Former Omonoia player Odysseas Odysseos also joined the scouting structure, bringing local understanding and familiarity with the club itself. Berg’s coaching appointments reflected a similar philosophy. Hector Gonzalez arrived as assistant coach after several years working in Cyprus through positions at AEK Larnaca and Nea Salamina. Once again, there was a connection to Tarapoulouzis, who had worked with Gonzalez during his period as Technical Director at Nea Salamina.

Eventually came the footballing proof. Omonoia entered the season with recruitment appearing considerably more focused than in previous years. Tasos Chatzigiovanis, Carel Eiting and Saad Agouzoul strengthened the squad, while Ryan Mmaee and Muamer Tanković quickly emerged as particularly influential additions. Although the campaign began with defeat against Ethnikos, concerns quickly disappeared as Omonoia dismantled AEL and Anorthosis by identical 5–0 scorelines while also defeating title rivals AEK and Pafos. Momentum continued building and a 2–0 defeat against Apollon ultimately changed very little. Omonoia responded with an eleven-match unbeaten run, winning ten of those matches.

By matchday nineteen they sat at the top of the table and never relinquished control. The playoffs began with a six-point advantage but also brought significant concerns following Fabiano’s absence. The Brazilian had become one of the defining figures of modern Omonoia history and his loss could easily have destabilised the campaign. Francis Uzoho initially replaced him but injuries and costly mistakes generated anxiety among supporters. Unexpectedly, third-choice goalkeeper Kyriakides stepped in and immediately transformed concern into confidence through four clean sheets in five matches.

If further evidence was needed that this team was different, it arrived during the playoffs themselves. Omonoia won five of their opening six playoff matches – a start previously unseen in Cyprus – effectively removing genuine suspense from the title race. Long-term injuries to Fotis Kitsos and Saad Agouzoul also threatened to create difficulties, but unlike previous seasons Omonoia reacted quickly and decisively. Jure Balkovec and Moses Odubajo arrived, Andreas Christou returned from Olympiakos and Mihlali Mayambela joined following his departure from Aris. These were not emergency signings designed simply to fill gaps; they represented reinforcement from a position of strength.

What perhaps made the title particularly fascinating were the similarities with Berg’s championship-winning team of 2021. During that earlier campaign Berg had shown faith in academy players such as Loizos Loizou, Andronikos Kakoullis and Charalambos Charalambous. This season Andreas Christou, Totis Andreou and Angelos Neofytou emerged in similar fashion, reinforcing Omonoia’s academy reputation and Berg’s willingness to trust younger players. The similarities extended throughout the squad itself, from defensive leaders to midfield controllers and influential attackers. Yet perhaps the greatest difference came through Ryan Mmaee, who displayed a ruthless goalscoring instinct that many supporters had not seen since Matt Derbyshire.

Following the title victory, Papastavrou spoke to Cytavision and his message was revealing.

“Of course, the League Phase Champions League is the goal with the team we have. It is not easy and we know that, but we will do our best. I learned a lot…”

Perhaps those final words mattered most.

“I learned a lot.”

For a president who had spent several years being criticised, questioned and challenged, they represented something significant. The previous years had not simply been a project. They had been a learning process. Another target had now been set, expectations had risen once again and, for the first time in years, Omonoia approached the future from a position of strength.