Thank you Beni and all the best!

Apollon Football Company (Public) Ltd has completed its collaboration with assistant coach Beniamino Molinari.

The Italian was appointed as assistant coach in the summer of 2021.

We appreciate Beni for his service to the club and we wish him the best in his career and personal life.

Beni Molinari discusses his experience in our squad and what he witnessed in this year’s championship at www.apollon.com.cy on the occasion of the ending of our partnership.

Our club won the championship to finish off an outstanding year. What are you left with after this season?

For all of us, it was a fantastic and tough year that finished in the finest way possible for me and Apollon to win this championship.

What happened after the game versus APOEL was insane. I realised how important this championship was to Apollon and the fans of this club. In any situation, we sensed the support of the people on our side throughout the year. They were incredible! And I had the impression that they was very next to us in the draws. Perhaps it was because I didn’t know how to read Greek (laughs).

But I had never known this kind of support in any other club with whom I had previously worked or played. The occurrence was unprecedented and incredible.

Their attendance at the training center or when they were waiting for us on the bus, regardless of the result, was something I never thought I’d see. Something like this demonstrates the greatness of this club.

How did it all begin? Your partnership with Apollon.

Mr. Zorniger contacted me when I was on holidays in Crete and said, “You have two days to decide if you would come with me to Apollon.”  I hung up the phone and thought,   “OK, the day has come for you to go to Apollon!”

I was the head coach at TSV Essingen at the time, and it was likely that I would continue there for the upcoming season until Alexander Zorniger approached me, and I followed my instincts to come to Apollon.

I started searching for a team, the Cypriot championship, and Limassol. I felt like I was coming home after that because Cyprus is extremely similar to southern Italy, where I am from. The attitude, weather, and culture are all quite similar to those of Italy. I felt at ease and lovely from the moment I arrived in Cyprus.

What do you believe you brought to the team? What did you provide for Apollon? What did you provide for Apollon?

Every day when I look in the mirror, I want to know that I am giving my all to my work. Even more crucial is proper collaboration with the coach and the players. We formed a really solid and family-like unit that was eager to develop and contribute to the team. This family spirit, I believe, is understandable for everyone who looks beyond the squad.

A notable example is that when we had 3-4 days off due to national team matches, I drive to Kolossi expecting to train alone. And, to my great astonishment, the parking lot was extremely crowded. Almost all of the football players were present and training on their own! They might be out on a walk with their family, on the beach, or anywhere else, but they were at the gym and working hard!

That day, I was convinced that we would win the championship this year.

At what point throughout the season did you declare, “Yes, we’ll will do it this year?”

In the game with AEL and Rezi’s last-minute goal. I had a really tight relationship with him, and we worked extremely closely together, putting in many hours of personal training. His improvement was spectacular, and he took advantage of the opportunity to become a hero in that game. It was one of the season’s most critical goals.

You said what you offered Apollon… Now tell us what you got out of the team.

Apollon provided me with the opportunity to meet amazing people. Of course, the distinctions, accomplishment, and title are essential, but I shall miss the people of Apollon and my relationship with them. Coaches, football players, kitman, and physicians are all excellent people. Even the fans. Today, by accident, I met four Apollon enthusiasts who invited me to coffee without knowing who they were. This is a strong group. It’s a blue family!

Of all, I would not want to pass up the opportunity to celebrate a championship by remaining just in human relations. It is a big accomplishment for a team to win the championship.

What will be the next step?
The first thing I’ll do is return to my family and spend as much time as possible with them. It was a challenging period for me personally. I’m confident that something will be discovered professionally.

How do you want to conclude this interview?

I’d want to thank everyone on the team, and I hope I didn’t forget anyone.  Socrates and Constantinos (Makridis) were great support to me not only at work but also in my life in Cyprus. It is quite difficult for someone who has family thousands of miles away to live alone in another nation.

Everyone on the team was really supportive of me, and I felt as if they had hugged me from the beginning. Every day, we were with everyone from the President to the kitman. They were all kind to me.

Apollon and Limassol will live in my memory forever. I pledge to be there for one of the first games at the new stadium, and I will surely keep track of the team’s growth.

Apollon loses an assistant coach but wins a lifetime fan!