“I Am the Conductor of My Team” – Theodoros Vlachos on Olympiacos, Star Players & the Champions League (Part 2)

In the second part of his appearance on the Waterpolo Expert Talk, Theodoros Vlachos, head coach of the Greek national team and Olympiacos Piraeus, dives deep into the realities of managing a top-level club immediately after the Olympic Games. Following Greece’s historic silver medal at Tokyo 2021, Vlachos explains how difficult it is to reset motivation when elite players return from the emotional peak of an Olympic cycle.

With Olympiacos signing multiple world-class athletes from across Europe, Vlachos describes that his job is no longer to teach the basics, but to conduct a team of strong personalities, stars and leaders. Every player arrives with individual experiences, egos, expectations and career plans. After the Olympics, many athletes begin a completely new phase in their life – some leave their national teams, some change clubs, and others redefine their personal goals. Bringing all these mental states together into one functioning unit is one of the most complex challenges in modern elite coaching.

Vlachos speaks openly about the difficulty of motivating players after a major success. While it is easy to push athletes against top opponents like Hungary, Italy, Pro Recco or Ferencváros, it becomes far more dangerous against supposedly weaker domestic opponents. Overconfidence and loss of focus are the biggest enemies in long seasons. According to Vlachos, motivation is the single most important factor in winning national championships, European competitions and international tournaments.

A key part of the discussion focuses on the Greek Championship. Vlachos explains how surprising results often occur when teams with big stars lose focus. Interestingly, he admits that sometimes teams without superstars perform more consistently because they rely on unity, discipline and collective responsibility instead of individual brilliance.

The conversation then turns to the Champions League group stage, where Olympiacos faces extremely strong opponents such as Ferencváros, Barceloneta, Novi Beograd and Radnički Kragujevac. Vlachos explains why this group is one of the toughest in recent years and why Olympiacos needs time to grow into a true title contender again. With many new signings, even experienced champions need months to become a synchronized team.

Vlachos also shares his thoughts on the other Champions League group, including German teams Waspo Hannover and Spandau, alongside powerhouses like Pro Recco and Marseille. While Recco remains the clear favorite in the other group, Vlachos emphasizes that modern water polo offers no guarantees. Every qualification round can change the entire balance of the competition.

At the end of the episode, the focus returns to the future of international water polo after Corona. Vlachos expresses his strong hope that the sport can finally return to normal travel, packed arenas, fan culture and full competition calendars. After two extremely difficult years, the water polo world is hungry to compete again without restrictions.

This episode is a brilliant insight into modern elite coaching, leadership after Olympic success, star player management and the mental challenges of Champions League water polo.