The leading, in my humble opinion, left-wing Greek extremist of all times, Vassilis Botinos is no longer with us. He left for the eternal journey on Wednesday 16/2 defeated by the coroner at the age of 77. Vassilis Botinos was born on October 19, 1944 in Volos. He was of Italian origin, since his paternal grandfather was Italian.

He started his career at the local Olympiakos where he played as a center forward. In 1964, after previously becoming the top scorer of Olympiacos Volos with 19 goals in 29 games, he was transferred to Olympiakos Piraeus. The more impulsive and quirky he was in his life, the more he was on the pitch. It could "crawl" throughout the race and for a moment turn into a hurricane. The tsaboukas of "Crazy Botina" has remained proverbial, because it stated with the greatest possible emphasis the courage & the spirit of the genuine Olympiakos that boils its blood for the Legend.

Botinos, who despite being a right-footed player played as a left winger, is one of the most spectacular football players on the Greek courts. High speed, sharp dribbling, breaking of the waist, accuracy in the transfer with a pass or with a cross and the inconceivably large field jump, were the rare characteristics of his football talent. Unforgettable is an amazing goal that he scored with a header against the Scottish Dumfermline in the autumn of 1968 (3-0) jumping almost one meter higher than two theoretical opposing defenders. He scored the 1000th goal of the Legend in the history of the Championship (Olympiakos-Trikala 5-0).

The old people called him crazy Botina nervously (he had got it, Barba-Nikolas who was selling pasatempo outside Karaiskaki). Although Botinos had a great passion for the ball, he did not play for many years. He remained in the team of Piraeus until 1971, when a serious injury, but also extraterrestrial interventions ended his career prematurely.

He refused a proposal from a Brazilian team, because as he had characteristically said…

"where to leave Mrs. Eleni alone and run to Brazil να to make a career". With Olympiakos she won 2 Championships (1965/66 and 1966/67), but also 2 cups (1968,1971).

In 1968, the then president of Olympiakos, the late Nikos Goulandris, hearing Bukovi shouting at Botino for dribbling abuse, told him that every time he gave the ball 1-2 dribbles, he would receive a bonus of 2,000 drachmas!. The 24-year-old star passed the entire opposing team alone and then replied to the angry President:

"Could I spoil the world's eyebrow?" and left with his head bowed!

On December 31, 1967, they played Olympiakos-Apollon Athens in Karaiskaki for the 13th game. The half ends 2-0 with goals by Botinos and George Sideris. Botinos has a problem with the shoe plugs and asks Takis Ktenas to change his shoes. Something happens, Ktenas does not pay attention to him and Botinos throws his shoe.

A guy short of politics sees the phase and grabs Botinos by the collar and says "… I will take you out of the team, I will finish you, you will speak better to Ktenas…". Botinos reacts instinctively and gives him a strong cuff. Thanasis Soulis (Kinley) runs and enters the middle saying to Botinos "Or what did you do mom do you know who you beat?" - "No, who?", Botinos answers, "Or is it the new General Manager of Olympiakos, Colonel Papapostolou!". Everyone froze.

Olympiakos came out in the second half with 10 players, people understood, learned what happened in the locker room and demanded that Botinos return to the starting lineup. In 10 minutes he was back in his place and even scored the 4th goal of the match that ended 4-0. Since then it became a "red cloth" for the regime and for Papapostolou himself.

Botinos was dripping honey for Hungarian coach Marton Bukovi:

"I dare say that I loved him as much as my father. He was a great coach, he was a teacher. Many times we did not have money and we went and called him father, he lent us a thousand. When you went to give him back the thousand, he did not accept it at all. "Greatness of soul, we are talking about a huge man".

Vassilis Botinos finally stopped playing football at the age of 29 in 1974 without realizing any of his dreams. He had a great bitterness in his soul because some people consciously ruined his career ...

He went through difficult times as several injuries prevented him from reaching the heights he could afford. He was blackmailed with cortisone to play with a fracture, and this caused him great damage.

The one who really dealt with him because from Olympiakos neither voice nor hearing was ... Panathinaikos, through Ferenc Puskas! The coach of the "greens" had visited Botinos home. He learned of his condition and urged him to be examined by the doctor of Real Madrid, who at that time was accidentally in Greece. The Spaniard tells him that he must leave immediately for surgery, Puskas pays for his ticket to travel to Madrid.

He returned optimistic that he would play healthy football again, but in the premiere of the 1971-72 championship, again against Veria, he sees his foot swollen again. A new adventure will begin, with new recoveries, a trip to Germany, where he will finally do the second operation, with money lent to him by his friends. Olympiacos is gone.

The contact with Panathinaikos still exists, the "greens" are ready to make an official proposal to him, but Costas Aslanidis, a powerful GGA on the junta, cancels the transfer. Through Panagialios he will be at Panionios, where he will stop his career at the age of just 30 years. His refusal to play for the National Team of Greece put an end to a career that could - based on his talent - be launched far beyond the narrow borders of Greece.

He played 12 times for the Greek national team, scoring 3 goals… Who does not remember the games against Portugal (4-2) and Switzerland (4-1). Vassilis Botinos, good trip to the eternal seas…