Former Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis has opened up about his decision to leave the club, citing unmet contract expectations and the challenging Glasgow weather as key factors in his move.
In an honest interview on the Offside with Taylor Twellman podcast, Giakoumakis shared insights into his transfer to Atlanta United.
Giakoumakis, who was at Celtic for a season and a half, demonstrated his value on the field, netting 26 goals and tying as the joint top scorer in the Scottish Premiership during the 2021/22 season, despite a slow start.
Giakoumakis often found himself as the second choice behind Kyogo when the latter was fit, which contributed to his frustrations at Celtic.
“I said, ‘Okay, you know what? Now you have to give me what I deserve. I was waiting. And then they said no.”
Beyond contractual issues, the climate in Glasgow played a significant role in his decision.
“At the end of the day, I was like ‘do I want to go there again with this s*** weather – maybe even worse than Glasgow?’ One year in Glasgow and I went out with my son in the park one time. That is miserable. I said (to Midtjylland) ‘thank you, but I at least need the normal weather’ – that was the reason.”
Giakoumakis’s move was ultimately sealed by the personal touch from Atlanta United’s vice president and technical director, Carlos Bocanegra, who made a significant effort to meet with him personally in Glasgow.
“Carlos was the only one, the only director that flew to Glasgow just to meet me. And I really appreciated that. They showed me straight away that, you know what, you’re really important. We don’t care if you’re going to be able to sign for [us] or not, we just want to meet you.”
