Christos Karipidis (born 2 December 1982 in Thessaloniki, Greece) is a Greek professional footballer currently playing for Marfin Laiki Championship club Omonia Nicosia.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Hearts

He joined Hearts from PAOK FC on 3 August 2006 for a fee of around £200,000.^[1] Karapidis made his Hearts debut against AEK Athens in a third-round UEFA Champions League qualifier at Murrayfield on 9 August 2006^[2] in a defensive midfield role, Hearts lost the game 2-1. ^[3]

In August 2008 Karipidis looked set for a return to his former club PAOK following an indifferent start to his Hearts career and the birth of his daughter. Hearts negiotiated a fee in the region of £200,000 as they looked to recoup the fee they payed to sign him from the Greek club 2 years earlier and he was offered a four-year deal by PAOK.^[4] However, newly appointed manager Csaba László convinced Karipidis to stay and decided to use him as a holding midfielder, an idea which was initially met with a negative reaction by Hearts fans. Karipidis himself insisted he was happy to play anywhere László decided.^[5] Despite having played most of his career as either a central defender or occasionally a right-back Karipidis performed well in his new role, prompting László to say "Karipidis, at the moment, is the discovery of the year in the number six position."^[6]

In February 2009, captain Christophe Berra signed for Wolves and Karipidis was made Hearts' vice-captain after teammate Robbie Neilson was given the captaincy.

On 27 April 2009 Hearts announced that Karipidis had a pre-contract agreement with Omonia Nicosia which would see him join the Cypriot side on a three-year deal at the end of the season. He stated that although he had enjoyed his time in Scotland, the move was motivated by his desire to be closer to his home and relatives in Greece.^[7][8] His final appearance at Tynecastle came in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United which confirmed Hearts' place in the Europa League for the following season and third place in the SPL. He was replaced by Jason Thomson in the closing stages of the match and received a standing ovation from the Hearts fans.^[9]

[edit] Omonia Nicosia

The signing of contract of Karipidis was announced on June 1st 2009.

[edit] International career

Karipidis was a part of the Greek squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics, but without playing.

Following Karipidis' good start to the 2008-09 season former Hearts player and current technical director of the Hellenic Football Federation Takis Fyssas announced that he was in the plans of the Greek national team.^[10]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Hristos Karapidis career stats at Soccerbase
• Appearances at londonhearts.com

v • d • e Greece squad – 2004 Summer Olympics 1 Ambaris • 2 Galanopoulos • 3 Lagos • 4 Moras • 5 Vallas • 6 Stoltidis • 7 Agritis • 8 Nebegleras • 9 Salpigidis • 10  • 11 Papadopoulos • 12 Karipidis • 13 Goundoulakis • 14 Fotakis • 15 Sapanis • 16 Vyntra • 17 Taralidis • 18 Giannou • 21 Manousakis • Coach: Apostolakis