Alexandros Tzorvas

Alexandros Tzorvas
	Tzorvas with Greece in 2010
Personal information
Date of birth	12 August 1982 (age 41)
Place of birth	Athens, Greece
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Panathinaikos
Senior career*
Years	Team
2001–2007	Panathinaikos
2001–2003	→ Agios Nikolaos (loan)
2003–2004	→ Markopoulo (loan)
2004–2005	→ Thrasyvoulos (loan)
2007–2008	OFI Crete
2008–2011	Panathinaikos
2011–2012	Palermo
2012–2013	Genoa
2013–2014	Apollon Smyrnis
2014–2015	NorthEast United
Total
International career
2003	Greece U21
2008–2012	Greece
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexandros Tzorvas (Greek: Αλέξανδρος Τζόρβας; born 12 August 1982) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Early career

Ηe began his career as a member of the renowned (domazos academy)

Konstantinos Chalkias and Stefanos Kotsolis provided more than full cover for the goalkeeping position. Due to the strong competition, and as the team laid hopes on him for the future in the next 4 years, he was loaned to the affiliated teams of Agios Nikolaos, Markopoulo and Thrasyvoulos

in order to gain experience.

In 2005 Panathinaikos recalled him from loan as a cover for

Pierre Ebede

.

OFI Crete

A lack of first team opportunities led to his trade to

Antonis Nikopolidis

.

Return to Panathinaikos

During the

OFI with Arkadiusz Malarz

taking the opposite way. Although Mario Galinović was considered the first option for the goalkeeper position for the 2008–2009 season, Tzorvas had his chances already in October being in the starting eleven for a few games for the Greek Superleague and the UEFA Champions League.

For the 2009–10 Super League season, beginning from the match against Aris Thessaloniki F.C., he is considered a basic choice for the goalkeeper position, mainly due to bad performances by teammate Galinović.

Tzorvas is a die-hard fan of Panathinaikos. Once, in a game against

Karaiskákis Stadium

, he went in front of the partisan opposition fans and kissed the shamrock badge on his shirt.

Italy

On 26 August 2011

Inter in Serie A. Originally hired as starting goalkeeper, he fell out of favour with head coach Devis Mangia following some unimpressive performances and ultimately lost his place to Francesco Benussi. He was confirmed as second choice also by Bortolo Mutti, who replaced Mangia as Palermo boss in December, and then clearly relegated on the bench after Palermo opted to sign promising Italian international Emiliano Viviano

during the January 2012 transfer window from Genoa.

Alexandros Tzorvas will be looking to put a difficult season behind him when

Zeljko Brkic

. For Tzorvas, a move away from the Sicilian club would provide a fresh start after a disastrous first season in Italy where a shaky

Udinese set to compete in the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League, the Northeastern Italian club provides an attractive destination for Tzorvas despite the departure of many key players this season.^[4]

In the summer 2012 he moved to

Apollon Smyrni

as a free agent.

Apollon Smyrnis

On 9 July 2013 Tzorvas returned to Greece to play for the newly promoted club

Apollon Smyrni on a two-year deal, the club has confirmed. The Athenians are making their return to the Greek top flight for the first time in 13 years and have made Tzorvas the latest in a string of summer acquisitions.^[9]

On 18 August 2013, he made his debut with the club in a 2–1 home win against

Aris

. Tzorvas decision to return to Greece was not an easy one, knowing the differences between

Fernando Santos calls' for a friendly against South Korea^[10]

NorthEast United

On 1 September 2014, it was reported that he has signed a contract with NorthEast United FC to play in Indian Super League^[11] He started his first match against Kerala Blasters FC, he was named man of the match with a clean sheet. On 23 December 2014, he left the club. After a decent spell at NorthEast United FC, the Greek press reported in March 2015 that Tzorvas was considering a return to India as he has been approached by two unidentified Indian clubs with significant offers.^[12]

Although the reason for his departure just after playing two matches are not disclosed.

International career

On 21 March 2008,

Karaiskákis Stadium

in Piraeus.

One of Tzorvas's greatest career accomplishments to date came in Greece's 2009 home-and-away World Cup playoff with Ukraine. Tzorvas turned away the Ukrainian attack for the entire 180 minutes over ties in Athens and Donetsk, sustaining the Greeks' 1–0 aggregate victory that sent the team to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he was the starting goalkeeper in all three group matches, beating off competition from Kostas Chalkias and Michalis Sifakis. At the UEFA Euro 2012, however, Kostas Chalkias took over his spot, and Michalis Sifakis played in the final group stage match against Russia and the quarter-final against Germany.

Honours

Panathinaikos

2009-10
Greek Cup: 2009–10

References

^ "TZORVAS: "PALERMO, SVOLTA PER LA MIA CARRIERA"" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
^ "UN PALERMO CHE INVESTE" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
^ "TZORVAS: "PALERMO, SVOLTA PER LA MIA CARRIERA"" [TZORVAS: "PALERMO, KEY MOVE IN MY CAREER"] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
^ "Tzorvas to make Udinese move". footballhellas.com. 30 July 2012.
^ ^a ^b Genoa CFC SpA Report and Accounts on 31 December 2012 (in Italian)
^ "VON BERGEN E' ROSANERO TZORVAS E JARA MARTINEZ AL GENOA" [VON BERGEN IS ROSANERO; TZORVAS AND JARA MARTINEZ TO GENOA] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
^ "OFFICIAL: Tzorvas traded to Genoa". footballhellas.com. 21 August 2012.
^ "Fiorentina 3-2 Genoa". football-italia.net. 17 March 2013.
^ "Greece goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas agrees to join Apollon Smyrnis". footballhellas.com. 9 July 2013.
^ "Απόλλων Σμύρνης: Το "ευχαριστώ" του Τζόρβα για Εθνική". onsports.gr. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
^ "Πάει Ινδία ο Τζόρβας!".
^ Tzorvas considering offer from India
^ "Rehhagel rewards in-form Tzorvas". Archived from the original on 24 March 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2008.

External links

OnSports profile

[1] "TZORVAS: "PALERMO, SVOLTA PER LA MIA CARRIERA"" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2013.

[2] "UN PALERMO CHE INVESTE" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.

[tzorvas_palermo-3] "TZORVAS: "PALERMO, SVOLTA PER LA MIA CARRIERA"" [TZORVAS: "PALERMO, KEY MOVE IN MY CAREER"] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.

[4] "Tzorvas to make Udinese move". footballhellas.com. 30 July 2012.

[Genoa2012bilancio-5] Genoa CFC SpA Report and Accounts on 31 December 2012 (in Italian)

[vonbergen-6] "VON BERGEN E' ROSANERO TZORVAS E JARA MARTINEZ AL GENOA" [VON BERGEN IS ROSANERO; TZORVAS AND JARA MARTINEZ TO GENOA] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.

[7] "OFFICIAL: Tzorvas traded to Genoa". footballhellas.com. 21 August 2012.

[8] "Fiorentina 3-2 Genoa". football-italia.net. 17 March 2013.

[9] "Greece goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas agrees to join Apollon Smyrnis". footballhellas.com. 9 July 2013.

[10] "Απόλλων Σμύρνης: Το "ευχαριστώ" του Τζόρβα για Εθνική". onsports.gr. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.

[11] "Πάει Ινδία ο Τζόρβας!".

[12] Tzorvas considering offer from India

[13] "Rehhagel rewards in-form Tzorvas". Archived from the original on 24 March 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2008.

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