PAOK Academy’s Individual Improvement Department
Specialized training aimed at strengthening weaknesses and improving an athlete’s skills is a clear necessity in today’s demanding era of professional sports, in which PAOK Academy consistently strives. For this reason, PAOK has created a new department — the Individual Improvement Department — covering the players of PAOK B, U19, U17, and U15.
The department will be headed by Spanish coach Daniel Ponz, who brings significant experience in youth football and a coaching career in Spain’s second and third divisions.
The goal is to optimize the athletes’ physical, technical, tactical, and psychological abilities, leading to improved overall performance and the achievement of specific objectives. A key aim is to ensure the smooth transition of young players from academy football to the senior game.
The department consists of head coach Daniel Ponz, coach Michalis Christaras, U17’s assistant coach Antonis Krinitsas, U15’s coach Panagiotis Dimitriadis, fitness coach Kostas Georgiadis, and video analyst Theodoros Mikropoulos. PAOK Academy’s psychologist, Evangelos Kleitsas, will also play an active role.
In practice, the department’s functions include initial assessment of each player, setting individual goals, designing and implementing training programs, and analyzing performance after every match. One-on-one meetings with the players are also an important element.
Daniel Ponz
Daniel Ponz joined PAOK to lead the newly established Individual Improvement Department for the academy and PAOK B players. Born in 1973 in Sollana, Valencia, he was a goalkeeper for his hometown club before retiring at the age of 29.
He then worked as a fitness and goalkeeper coach, and in 2005 he began his head coaching career at EMFU L’Alcúdia’s academy. With broad experience in youth development, he went on to coach Atletico Saguntino, took charge of UD Alzira in 2012, and became head coach of CD Eldense in 2017 — all teams competing in Spain’s third division.
In 2020, returning to Alzira for a third spell, he achieved promotion to Segunda División RFEF in his first season. In 2023 he continued at Primera Federación side Unionistas CF, and in 2024 he returned once again to Eldense with a one-year contract, by then competing in Spain’s Segunda División.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Valencia and a UEFA Pro license.
He speaks English, Spanish, and Catalan.
Michalis Christaras
A familiar face — Michalis Christaras, born in 1979, with experience in youth development from 2000 to 2020 (having worked at Iraklis, Aris, and PAOK), returns to PAOK Academy to join the Individual Improvement Department.
He holds a Master’s degree from the School of Physical Education and Sport Science (AUTH) with a specialization in “Maximizing Human Performance.” His main expertise is football, with a secondary focus on sports management and marketing. He also holds a UEFA A license and is a certified training and match analyst.
Antonis Krinitsas
Antonis Krinitsas is a graduate of IEK AKMI and holder of the UEFA B License. He has worked in the academies of Meliteas, Protalites Pefkon, Toumba FC, and Pro Soccer Academy.
As a football player, he joined PAOK’s youth system in 2008, coming from the Bebides team. In 2013, he signed his first professional contract with the “Double-Headed Eagle” (PAOK) and later played on loan for Anagennisi Giannitson in the Football League. However, a serious injury forced him to end his playing career.
He speaks English and holds a First Aid Certification from EKAB (the National Emergency Aid Center).
Panagiotis Dimitriadis
Panagiotis Dimitriadis is a coach, holder of the UEFA A License and a Football Performance Analysis diploma. He is a graduate of the Technological Educational Institute of Larissa and the IEK Thermi, specializing in Insurance and Financial Business Administration.
He has worked as a coach in the academies of Aristotelis Kalamarias and Poseidon Kalamarias, as well as in the Neapoli André Vieirinha Academy, while since 2017 he has been coaching the men’s team of AS Neapoli.
As a football player, he began his career at the G. Koudas Academy and has played for Panathinaikos, Lykoi, Neapoli, and Filyro.
He also speaks English and is highly proficient in computer use. He is married and the father of two children.
Konstantinos Georgiadis
Konstantinos Georgiadis was born in 1998 in Thessaloniki. He is a graduate of the School of Physical Education and Sport Science (AUTH – Serres), with a Master’s degree in “Exercise and Health,” and holds a UEFA B diploma. He has also attended the training program “Training Load and Fitness in Modern Football – From Science to Practice.”
He has worked either as a coach or a fitness coach at Doxa Neou Skopou (Serres), Raidestos, Keravnos Angelohori, and Chaniotis.
He speaks English.
Theodoros Mikropoulos
Theodoros Mikropoulos was born in 2003 in Rhodes and is a final-year student at the University of the Aegean in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Financial Mathematics, aiming to specialize and progress in the field of football analysis.
He holds a Master’s degree in Statistics and Data Analysis from the University of the Aegean, a UEFA C license, and speaks English and German.
During the 2024–25 season, he worked as an assistant analyst for PAOK B.
Evangelos Kleitsas
Psychologist and mental coach Evangelos Kleitsas was born in 1990 in Ioannina. He graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with a Bachelor’s degree, holds a Master’s degree from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and is also a graduate of the Barcelona Innovation Hub with a specialization in high-performance sports psychology. He also holds a UEFA B license and completed further studies in Child Psychology at the University of the Aegean.
He has worked in schools and with PAOK’s women’s football team.
He speaks English and Italian.
