MVP of July: Dimitris Pelkas’ comeback
Last July he was called to make the toughest, yet wisest decision of his young career. His heart was telling him to stay, but his mind was urging him to go. He chose to try his luck in a new, unknown environment. He earned the MVP of July award, proving how right he was last summer.
Dimitris Pelkas was spared from a catastrophic season at PAOK. He avoided the team’s “decay”, he distanced himself from an environment of split opinions about him. Was he a top player or someone who had already lost his opportunity at PAOK?
At Vitória de Setúbal he found himself, worked undistracted in a more advanced league and saw his future through a different angle. Upon his return he was a changed man and an improved player. Confident and ready to claim what he is worth.
He thus earned the trust of Igor Tudor, the extension of his contract and was voted by you as PAOK’s MVP of July with his performances against NK Lokomotiva Zagreb and FC Spartak Trnava.
With 50,84%, Pelkas won the first individual accolade of the season, leaving behind him another “product” of the PAOK academy, Stelios Kitsiou. The young right full-wing also stood out with a goal, an assist, many runs and inexhaustible energy, earning 26,08% of the vote. PAOK’s top scorer so far, Róbert Mak, is third with 23,06%.
Pelkas’ return and transformation can very well serve as an example of what can happen when a player is prematurely glorified and then hastily disdained.
