Who is Evangelos Marinakis, the most impatient EPL club owner?

• Nottingham Forest Owner Evangelos Marinakis, once again made headlines in the Premier League circles
• His recent firing of Ange Postecoglou following a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea on October 18 was surprising
• Postecoglou was just 39 days old as the team’s head coach

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, once again made headlines in the Premier League circles. His recent firing of Ange Postecoglou following a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea on October 18 was surprising. Postecoglou was just 39 days old as the team’s head coach. Marinakis’ showed the world his impatience and anger, not for the first time but his 24^th.

He then named Sean Dyche as the new Forest manager on Wednesday. Will Dyche be his 25^th victim of his anger outburst? Only time will tell even as he [Marinakis] remains unmoved by his aggressiveness as a team owner. Firing Postecoglou is a great way to get into the complicated life of a man who is more than just a club owner.  Marinakis’ story is a long one, going from the shipyards of Greece to the City Ground pitch. It is full of great fortune, strong ambition, political power, and ongoing controversy.

Who is Evangelos Marinakis?

Evangelos Marinakis is a powerful Greek shipping tycoon, media mogul, and owner of two football teams, among them English Premier League (EPL) team Nottingham Forest. He was born on July 30, 1967, in Piraeus, Greece, and his father was a shipowner. This is how he first got into shipping business. However, Marinakis’ power has grown far beyond the maritime business.

He is a powerful and sometimes divisive figure in Greek sports and media. He is known for being hands-on, ambitious, and sometimes unpredictable when it comes to running clubs.  His personality is a mix of a passionate, almost fan-like love for his teams and a cold, business-like decisiveness.

These attributes shaped his career in both football and business.  His authoritative and aggressive nature comes from his wealth from Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, and his ownership of the major Greek team Olympiacos. His control of media sources that drive public opinion also powers up his authoritative nature.

What Football Clubs Does Marinakis Own?

Evangelos Marinakis is the owner and chairman of two big European football clubs, namely:

• Nottingham Forest in England
• Olympiacos FC in Greece

He got deeply involved in football when he bought Olympiacos in 2010.  During his time as owner, the club has been the best in Greece, winning many Super League Greece titles.  But this achievement is often linked to claims that he has too much power over the Greek football league.

In 2017, he bought Nottingham Forest, which was unpopular and struggling at the time. His purchase of the club became the most famous business deal he ever made. He planned to bring the two-time European Cup champions back to the top of English football. He invested heavily in the club, and it was promoted to the EPL in 2022.

The Greek mogul spent a lot of money on new players and has a reputation for firing managers quickly. He has fired 24 coaches so far as he tries to get the team to the top level.  This approach of owning two clubs has also led to a network of player movements and shared resources between Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest.

How Did Evangelos Marinakis Make His Money?

Most of the money that Evangelos Marinakis has is from his shipping business.  He is the founder of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, one of the biggest shipping companies globally.  The company has a large, up-to-date fleet that includes tankers (for crude oil and products) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. This shipping business is cyclical, but Marinakis grew his business by carefully growing his fleet throughout market downturns and taking advantage of recoveries.

Marinakis made smart investments in other areas to grow his wealth and power beyond shipping.  His other ventures include an interest in Greek media.  He is a major shareholder and the chairman of the board of directors for Media Group S.A., which owns and runs some of Greece’s most popular TV channels, radio stations, and newspapers.  Owning these media outlets gives him more power in Greek politics and society. Further, his financial interests, football clubs, and public persona all work together to make him a strong force.

What are the Allegations Against Evangelos Marinakis?

Evangelos Marinakis has battled severe accusations in his adult and career life, but he has always rejected them strongly.  In 2015, he was one of many people charged in a huge match-fixing incident in Greek football. This was the biggest legal problem he faced.  He was accused of being part of a criminal organisation, committing fraud, and being corrupt, notably trying to change the results of Greek Super League games.

He was later cleared of all accusations in 2021 after a long legal battle. The court said there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him. Nevertheless, there have been additional scandals involving him besides the match-fixing case.  The Greek financial crimes unit listed him in a report in 2018 for breaking laws on how political parties obtain money.  Subsequently, his shipping company was fined for breaking international restrictions.

Evangelos Marinakis Religion

Evangelos Marinakis is a very religious Greek Orthodox Christian.  His faith is a clear and important part of who he is in public, especially in Greece, where the Orthodox Church has a lot of cultural and social power.  People regularly witness him crossing himself on the sidelines before games, and he has said in public that his faith has helped him through tough situations, including when he was in court.

In 2017, he and his wife went on a very public journey to Jerusalem, where he was baptized in the Jordan River. This was a very strong declaration of his faith. This public expression of faith is in line with the cultural traditions of his country and is an important part of how people see him as a traditional and patriotic Greek businessman.  He gives money to the Church as part of his charitable activity, which helps him fit in with Greek Orthodox tradition even more.