, ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Greece ▁under - 2 1 , ▁he ▁helped ▁his ▁team ▁reach ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁UEFA ▁European ▁Under - 2 1 ▁Football ▁Championship . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁senior ▁team ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁squad ▁which ▁qualified ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁all ▁three ▁games ▁Greece ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Cup , ▁losing ▁every ▁one ▁of ▁them . ▁ ▁In ▁total , ▁he ▁made ▁ 4 4 ▁appearances ▁and ▁scored ▁ 1 ▁goal ▁for ▁Greece . ▁ ▁Manager ial ▁career ▁ ▁Greece ▁under - 1 9 ▁After ▁getting ▁his ▁co aching ▁di pl oma , ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Greece ▁national ▁under - 1 9 ▁football ▁team . ▁He ▁led ▁ ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁U 1 9 ▁European ▁Championship ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁progress ▁past ▁the ▁group ▁stage , ▁despite ▁a ▁victory ▁against ▁the ▁hosts . ▁This ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁two ▁straight ▁ 3 – 0 ▁defe ats ▁in ▁the ▁remaining ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁group , ▁with ▁Ni op lias ▁bl aming ▁the ▁poor ▁fit ness ▁of ▁his ▁players . ▁ ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁led ▁Greece ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁U 1 9 ▁European ▁Championship ▁after ▁remaining ▁un be aten ▁in ▁their ▁group , ▁which ▁featured ▁Spain , ▁Portugal ▁and ▁the