Panathinaikos have reportedly decided to propose a long-term deal to manager Jesualdo Ferreira.
The Portuguese
has earned the officials' respect with his work in the three months he has been at the club and is likely to get a contract up to 2013, according to the Monday press.Ferreira stated after the game with Atromitos on Saturday that he is feeling great at Panathinaikos and sees no reason for him to go.
Likewise the club feel that the former Porto and Malaga manager has succeeded in improving the team's game, that brought about two victories over AEK in the space of a few days and a win at PAOK, as well as what they see victory-meriting performance at the Kariaskaki Stadium against Olympiakos.
However the 64-year-old coach may well be deprived of Djibril Cisse, as the France forward is standing firm on his decision to leave Greece this summer after what happened at the derby with Olympiakos as he told a French television interview on Sunday.
He also took the opportunity to attack Olympiakos president Vangelis Marinakis, whom he has also sued, and to praise Panathinaikos fans once again.
Entitled "The Reasons for a Departure", the report on TF1 channel had Cisse stressing he does not want to relive his experience at the Karaiskaki Stadium, when dozens of home fans attacked the Panathinaikos players after the final whistle.
"As soon as the referee ended the game, many fans stormed into the pitch and started hitting me and swearing at me. That for me is the end. I do not want to go through that again," said Cisse.
"The president of Olympiakos is also the president of the Super League. Certainly such behaviour does not become a man of his position, but he probably does not care," he added.
"At this moment, my decision is not changing. I cannot play under such conditions. I will see what offers I get and in the end we will see what happens," stated Cisse, giving some hope to Panathinaikos supporters who have been begging him to change his mind and stay on for one more year at least. He has a contract until the summer of 2013.
"Panathinaikos fans are fantastic. I adore them. They are constantly by the team's side and I cherish playing for them. What they did at the match against Atromitos was special," said the French international striker, referring to the largely peaceful demonstration of some 35,000 fans at the Olympic Stadium, who received the Greens as champions on February 26.
