Giorgos Bartzokas Opens Up About His Father: ‘I Felt Fear Every Time Police Came to Our Home’

In a poignant interview on Nova’s Monday FC, Giorgos Bartzokas, coach of Olympiacos, revealed the difficult childhood he endured due to his father’s political exile. He recounted how his father was exiled to various islands, including Leros, Aegina, Corfu, and Gyaros, during Greece’s military junta era. Bartzokas vividly remembered visiting his father at the age of four in Leros, describing it as a period marked by both bravery and familial hardship. Despite the challenges, he cherished moments spent with leftist personalities like Manolis Glezos and Mikis Theodorakis, which shaped his early life experiences. However, these years were also filled with fear, especially when police would search their home for his fugitive father. Additionally, Bartzokas reflected on societal changes since his youth, noting a decline in social participation and emphasizing the need for collective responsibility, particularly in light of tragedies like the Tempi fire.