Greece manager Ranieri in rough start

Just two-and-a-half months as coach of Greece, Claudio Ranieri is heading towards a pair of key Euro 2016 qualifiers that could put his job at risk.

After a disastrous start to his campaign with an opening 1-0 Group F loss at home to Romania last month, the 63-year-old Italian certainly feels the pressure to make good against Finland in Helsinki on Saturday and at home against Northern Ireland next week.

"I hope we win. Both matches are difficult. They are both good teams who fight to the end. We are ready and optimistic about the matches,» Ranieri said.

A sports website in his native country and at least one sports writer in Greece have written that negative results by the Greeks in both matches may lead to Ranieri's departure.

However sources at the Greek soccer federation have stated that Ranieri has a two-year contract to help the team qualify for the Euro 2016 finals and that there is no question of his replacement, at least at this stage.

He took over as Greece's coach after his predecessors, Portugal's Fernando Santos had taken the team to the World Cup 2014 and before that Germany's Otto Rehhagel led Greece to the Euro 2004 title.

Ranieri, who was sacked from Monaco in May, had very little time to gain knowledge of the players and it showed with the loss to Romania. He was also criticized by the Greek press for his player selections and tactics in the match.

Ranieri called up for the first time 21-year-old Olympiakos forward Dimitris Diamantakos and 23-year-old AEK midfielder Petros Mantalos against Romania but left them out for the matches against Finland and Northern Ireland, before inviting Mantalos again due to an injury crisis in the squad.

He has opted for 22-year-old Panathinaikos forward Nikos Karelis...