Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with George Christopoulos

Promoter:                                           

Left Field Solutions (Director)

Event:                                                 

Socceroos V FIFA All Stars Stadium Australia June 1999

Playing Career

Overseas Clubs:                                 

Newcastle United (England), AEK Athens (Greece)

NSL Clubs:                                         

South Melbourne, Canberra Arrows

Green & Gold Honors:                        

Socceroo appearances: 13        Goals: 1

Diegos Verdict:                                  

Socceroos V FIFA All Stars: Great night but George where were the tickets to the INXS after-party amigo?

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with George Christopoulos

Christopoulos on the Left Field Promotions organization of the FIFA All Stars versus the Socceroos event 1999…

Diegos: "How big is this event compared to other major international events staged in Australia such as the Grand Prix and President's Cup in terms of television rights, media attention and worldwide audience?"

Christopoulos: “It’s very much a once off. You only open a stadium of this calibre once every time you have an Olympics in your country. So it is very big in that respect.

It’s attracting a lot of media attention mainly because of the 'All Star' game and the relevant countries are also waiting to see whether they’ll have one of their local stars appearing.

I know the Japanese are looking forward to Nakata being in the team which means that the game will be going to Japan and the same applies to some of the South American and English players and the TV networks in their countries.”

Diegos: "The biggest concern out there for most soccer punters is the level of quality of the FIFA team and whether the Socceroos will be fielding their best team. 

As an organizer what steps have you taken to ensure that the best players slip on their silk jockstraps and play in Sydney in June?"

Christopoulos: “FIFA has given us the all clear on a great line up. Unfortunately we can only really take their word on it. I’ve personally been pushing it with them as much as I can.

In fact it has got to the stage that they have had to ask me to stop calling them. The invitations that they have drawn up look promising and I’m sure with such a big event, that the majority of the invitations will be accepted.”

Diegos: “Which soccer player do you really want coming the most?

Christopoulos: “I think that obviously, Ronaldo is a name of somebody that everyone would love to see, but he has had a season that has been full of incident and injury so it was always going to be tough to confirm him.

The player that has been shining and doing amazing things in the last 6 to 12 months is Zinedine Zidane. He has, this season been voted 'FIFA World Player of the Year', and hopefully by securing France’s World cup winning coach, Aime Jacquet as the coach of the 'All Stars', that may encourage him to attend our party.”

Diegos: “We know how Zidane hates the cold weather in Italy and perhaps, if the weather is good while he is here we may be able to get him to sign him up to play for Canberra Cosmos.

If we pressurize, Cosmos coach, Tommy Sermani he may just find a spot for him in the team.”

Christopoulos: “From what I hear it’s more his wife that we have to convince rather than Zinidine. We may need you guys to be working on his wife while she is out here, showing her the sights and making sure that she loves Sydney.”

Diegos: “As long as she is happy to dine out with us at Taco Bills Mexican Cantina, silver service of course, we will be happy to oblige you.”

Christopoulos: “OK ! A hot date with the Four Diegos is now officially on Mrs. Zidane’s itinerary.”

Diegos: "I know the organisers have been wanting to keep the identity of the big name, pre-game entertainment act under wraps, but we believe that it's time that the Mexican jumping beans were spilled and for you to announce that, along with the Diegos doing their famed table top dancing act, the big name act is going to be?”

Christopoulos: “I can’t at this stage. We’ve gone around the proverbial merry go round with potential acts. As you know, people in the entertainment industry such as yourselves, can be a little erratic, moody, anxious and temperamental.

The big acts are always difficult to nail down but we’ve had some fantastic artists that have shown a lot of interest and we are very confident that we have one that will set the stadium alight.”

Diegos: “You know that we won’t play second fiddle to anybody – the Rolling Stones included”

Christopoulos: “Well I suppose that’s them off the list.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999