The People Behind the Club

Our Management

Behind every team is a group of people working together to create the right environment for players to develop, compete and succeed. Meet the leadership and coaching team helping build the foundations of Peyia-Akamas Ladies FC.

Club Leadership

President, General Manager

Charis Arkadiou

President | General Manager | Football Executive | Academy Director

Football executive, academy director and UEFA C-licensed coach with extensive experience in club leadership, academy development, player pathways and football administration. Proven record of leading organisational change, achieving promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division as league champions, and building sustainable youth structures from the ground up. Currently leads football development for approximately 250 academy players, combining technical coaching expertise with strategic planning, staff development, recruitment, budgeting and governance.

Qualifications

UEFA C Coaching Licence
BA in Business and Insurance — London Metropolitan University

Professional Experience

Role	Organisation	Period
President, Academy Director	Peyia Akamas & Cap St Georges Academies — Football Programme	Current
President & Football Director	Peyia Akamas Ladies FC — Senior Team	Current
President, Football & Academy Director	Peyia 2014 FC — Men’s First Team & Academy	2019–2023
Grassroots Football Coach	Peyia Academy	2014–2015
Insurance Broker	Client relationships, financial planning and risk assessment	Since 2009

Leadership & Technical Expertise

Academy strategy, operations and long-term football planning
Player pathway design and development programme delivery
Coach mentoring, performance standards and training methodology
Talent identification, recruitment and squad planning
Budgeting, governance and football administration
Competition management, player registration and stakeholder engagement

Football Systems

COMET Football Management System
FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS)
FIFA Legal Portal
Player registration and competition administration

Career Snapshot

Category	Details
Academy players currently under the football programme	250
Registered players in the academy built from the ground up	150+
League championships and promotions delivered	1 — Third Division to Second Division

Coaching team

Meet the Coaching Staff

Led by Head Coach James Thomas, a qualified and experienced coaching team works across every level of the club — from goalkeeping and performance to player development and team management.

James Thomas

Head Coach

James Thomas brings more than 20 years of experience across professional club football, international management and elite academy development within the women’s game. His appointment as Head Coach reflects Peyia-Akamas Ladies FC’s determination to establish high professional standards from day one.

Qualifications

UEFA A Licence
UEFA Elite Youth Licence
FA Talent ID Level 3

Career

Category	Organisation	Role
International football	Trinidad & Tobago Women’s National Team	Head Coach
International coaching	Wales Women’s National Teams	Assistant Coach
Club football	Bristol City Women	Senior leadership role
Club football	Newcastle United Women	Most recent senior leadership role

Coaching Development

Elite Soccer Coaching
English FA Women’s Coach Development Programme

Antonio Wesllem De Sousa Monteiro

Assistant Coach — UEFA A Licensed

UEFA A Licensed football coach and former professional player with experience in elite youth development and high-performance academy football. Proven ability to develop players for national teams and progression to First Team football.

Coaching Career

Club / Role	Country	Period
Peyia Akamas Ladies FC — Assistant Coach	Cyprus	2026–2027
Pafos FC Academy — Head Coach, U17	Cyprus	2025–2026
Pafos FC Academy — Head Coach, U15	Cyprus	2022–2025

Coaching Qualifications

Qualification	Country	Period
UEFA A Licence — Cyprus Football Association (CFA)	Cyprus	2021–2022
UEFA B Licence — Cyprus Football Association (CFA)	Cyprus	2019–2020
UEFA C Licence — Cyprus Football Association (CFA)	Cyprus	2018–2019
Bachelor’s Degree in Solicitor — ISMAI	Portugal	2007–2011

Core Coaching Expertise

Tactical Periodization & Game Model Implementation
Match Analysis & Video Analysis — Hudl / Once Sport
Player Development & Progression Pathways
Training Planning & Session Design
Leadership, Team Management & Communication
High-Performance Environment Creation

Coaching Impact

Consistently high win percentage across academy teams
Multiple players selected for national teams at youth level
Direct contribution to player promotion to First Team football
Proven ability to develop players for elite-level progression

Professional Playing Career

Club	Country	Period
Anagennisi Deryneia FC	Cyprus	2012–2013
Anagennisi Deryneia FC	Cyprus	2015–2017
Anagennisi Deryneia FC	Cyprus	2017–2021
Olimpia Grudziądz	Poland	2017
Pafos FC	Cyprus	2014–2015
AE Kouklia FC	Cyprus	2013–2014
FC Penafiel	Portugal	2010–2011
Rio Ave FC	Portugal	2009–2010
Leixões SC	Portugal	2011–2012

Academy Background

Club	Country
FC Porto — Academy	Portugal
Leixões SC — Academy	Portugal

Career Profile

Category	Details
Professional playing experience	Cyprus • Poland • Portugal
Current coaching pathway	Pafos FC Academy / Peyia Akamas Ladies FC
Coaching level	UEFA A Licensed

Georgis Karakalov

Goalkeeper Coach

Goalkeeper Coach with experience working in professional and academy football environments in Cyprus. Focused on goalkeeper development, technical skills, game understanding, positioning, decision-making and performance improvement.

Clubs

Club	Level
Akritas Chlorakas FC	First Division
AEZ Zakakiou FC	Second Division
APEA Akrotiriou FC	Third Division
Geroskipou FC	Third Division

Licenses & Diplomas

UEFA B License
UEFA B Goalkeeping License

Core Goalkeeper Coaching Areas

Technical Goalkeeping Skills
Positioning & Starting Position
Game Understanding
Decision-Making
Communication
Mentality & Performance

Panagiotis Pagiazitis

Performance & Rehabilitation Coach — UEFA B

Dedicated Performance & Rehabilitation Coach with 13+ years of international experience in physiotherapy, including 10+ years in professional and elite football, leading performance environments across first-team and academy settings. Specialising in manual therapy, strength & conditioning, speed development and return-to-play, with a holistic approach to supporting player availability, high performance, injury prevention and athlete wellbeing.

Skills

Manual Therapy
Movement Assessment
Performance Testing
Strength & Conditioning
Return to Play
Long-Term Athletic Development
Speed Development
Football Fitness
Elite & Youth Player Development
Individual & Small Group Training
Work Ethic
Problem Solving

Personal Qualities

Leadership
Empathy
Growth Mindset
Positive Attitude
Team Spirit
Communication
Enthusiasm

Education

Qualification	Institution	Period
UEFA B Football Coaching Licence	Cyprus Football Association	Dec 2025
UEFA C Football Coaching Licence	Cyprus Football Association	Nov 2023
FSI Master Football Strength & Conditioning Coach	Football Science Institute, Online	2023–2024
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy (International)	University of East London – Metropolitan College	2012–2015

Courses & Professional Development

Course	Provider	Date
Foundation Certificate in Soccer Coaching, Periodisation and Game Model Development	International Soccer Science & Performance Federation, Online Course	Present
Certified Speed & Agility Coach	National Sports Performance Association, Online Course	Present
Certificate in Strength and Conditioning, IQF Level 2	International Universities Strength & Conditioning Association, Online Course	Present
Certified High Performance Coach, Level One	Athletic Lab Coaching Academy, Online Course	Mar 2026
Certificate in Strength and Conditioning, IQF Level 1	International Universities Strength & Conditioning Association, Online Course	Feb 2026
An Introduction to Athlete Monitoring with STATSports	Online Course	Feb 2026
Introduction to Tactical Periodization®	1st International Webinar by the Official School of Tactical Periodisation by Vítor Frade, Online Webinar	Feb 2026
FIFA Guardians Safeguarding Essentials	Online Course	Oct 2025
Emotional Intelligence: Ages 16–18	Me Learning, Online Course	Feb 2025
Long Term Player Development in Soccer	Soccer Hub, Online Course	Feb 2024
IV Football Science Institute Conference on High Performance in Football	Online	Oct 2023
Trainer of Vocational Training, Level CYQF/EQF5	Velissariou Training Center, Online & In-person	Dec 2023
Certificate in Player Care (Cohort 11)	The Player Care Group, Online	Nov 2022
The Players’ Voices — 29th Football Medicine Conference	Isokinetic Medical Group – FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Lyon, France	Jun 2022
Clinical Observation Visit	Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar	Sep 2019
Football Medicine Meets the Universe of Sport — 28th Conference	Isokinetic Medical Group – FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Wembley Stadium, London, UK	Apr 2019
FIFA Diploma in Football Medicine	Online	Mar 2019
Football Medicine Strategies: The Future of Football Medicine — 26th Conference	Isokinetic Medical Group – FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain	May 2017
Complete First Aid Training	Athens, Greece	Apr 2016
Football Medicine Strategies for Player Care — 25th Conference	Isokinetic Medical Group – FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, London, UK	Apr 2016
Football Medicine Strategies for Player Care — 24th Conference	Isokinetic Medical Group – FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, London, UK	Apr 2015
Clinical Observation Visit	Isokinetic Medical Group, FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Bologna, Italy	Nov 2015
“FIFA 11+” F-MARC Injury Prevention Programme — Instructor Training Course	Conducted by Dr Mario Bizzini & Matthias Eiles, Bologna, Italy	Nov 2015

Rafaella Antoniou

Team Manager — Football Player & Coach

Football player turned coach with a playing career spanning Pafos FC and the Cyprus Women’s National Team, followed by a coaching pathway across Cyprus women’s football. Now Team Manager at Peyia Akamas Ladies FC.

Coaching Career

Period	Club	Role
2021–2023	Geroskipou FC	Head Coach, U18 Ladies
2023–2026	Pafos FC Academies Ladies	Head Coach, U11
2023–2025	Pafos FC Academies Ladies	Assistant Coach, U18
2025–2026	Pafos FC Academies Ladies	Assistant Coach, U13
2026–Present	Peyia Akamas Ladies FC	Team Manager

Coaching Qualifications

UEFA A Licence
UEFA B Licence
UEFA C Licence

Playing Career

Period	Club
2008–2012	Pafos FC
2012–2014	Poli Chrysochous FC
2015–2019	Pafos FC
2019–2021	Chrysomilia FC
2021–2022	Geroskipou FC
2022–2023	Chrysomilia FC

International Career

Period	Team
2012–2014	Cyprus Women’s U19 National Team
2019–2021	Cyprus Women’s National Team

Developing players

Developing Players

The role of the management team extends beyond preparing the team for matchday.

It is about creating an environment where players can learn, develop and perform at their best.

Through professional coaching, preparation, feedback and continuous development, the club aims to give its players the foundations they need to progress both on and off the pitch.

Professional standards

Professional From Day One

Peyia-Akamas Ladies FC was created with a commitment to professional standards across every part of the club.

Preparation: We prepare thoroughly for every challenge.
Development: We continuously learn and improve.
Responsibility: Everyone has a role to play in the success of the club.
Excellence: We challenge ourselves to raise our standards every day.

One team, one environment

One Team. One Environment.

A strong football environment is built through trust, communication and shared responsibility.

Our management team works alongside the players to create a culture where everyone understands their role, supports one another and remains focused on the collective ambition of the club.

The future of the club

Building for the Future

The management structure will continue to grow as Peyia-Akamas Ladies FC develops.

As the club establishes itself, we will continue to strengthen the football department, develop our people and create an environment capable of supporting the club’s long-term ambitions.

The goal is not simply to build a team for one season.

It is to build a professional football club for the future.

The People Behind the Journey

From leadership and coaching to the players who represent the badge, Peyia-Akamas Ladies FC is being built by people who share a common ambition.

The journey has only just begun.

Meet the Squad View Fixtures