Giannou wants Australia switch

Guangzhou R&F signing Apostolos Giannou wants to switch international allegiances from Greece to Australia.

Giannou, 26, has represented Greece in a friendly, but grew up in Melbourne and played for local clubs before moving abroad.

He sits second in the goalscoring charts in the Greek Super League after his displays with Asteras Tripoli, but has become the latest Australian to head to China.

Now, he wants to represent the Socceroos after a visit from coach Ange Postecoglou.

“The politics here are more than usual, I know that Australia has been going upwards since Ange took over,” Giannou told Fox Sports News.

“Australia would be better for me as a footballer, to play for them and to give them everything I can and to bring the best out of me.”

Postecoglou and Giannou are familiar to one another, with the former having coached Australia’s youth as the striker was coming through.

Giannou said he had been won over by Postecoglou, whose team top Group B in World Cup qualifying.

“The effort of coming here to see me tells it all,” he said.

“You don’t need to say much. The thing about Ange, which I appreciate, is he didn’t push me to play for Australia. He wanted to see how my mind was and how I thought about it.”

The news would come as a boost for Australia, who are still heavily reliant on veteran Tim Cahill up front.