Irish Times sports journalist Emmet Malone has gained fame in Cyprus after pulling out APOEL FC in the lucky loser draw for the Europa League this morning.
Following Fenerbache's banishment from the Europa League yesterday, a team was needed to fill their place, so an open draw was held consisting of all the losing teams from the Europa League playoff round that was played last night.
The lucky team to emerge from the draw, chosen from the pot by our own Emmet Malone was APOEL FC of Nicosia in Cyprus, who had lost 3-2 on aggregate to Zulte Waregem of Belgium in the playoff round.
Since drawing APOEL's ball this morning, Twitter in Cyprus has gone nuts. Here are a few examples of the happiness Malone has brought to fans of the Cypriot club.
@emmetmalone Mr Emmet Malone A BIG THANKS AND FULL RESPECT FROM APOEL FANS!!!
— APOEL (@apoel_fc) August 30, 2013
@emmetmalone I have to thank you for drawing Apoel!!! You made all the supporters of Apoel extremely happy!!! Bless you!!
— Panos Prodromides (@psp108) August 30, 2013
@emmetmalone THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APOEL FC
— Eftychios Yiaxis (@EftychiosY) August 30, 2013
Mr @emmetmalone, I LOVE YOU!!! God bless YOU and everyone you love.
— Hara Loizidou (@APOELLENE) August 30, 2013
@emmetmalone You do know at this moment you are the most popular figure for APOEL fans!
— Marios Hadjistyllis (@Mariospacers) August 30, 2013
@emmetmalone if you are the guy who drew #Apoel out in draw to replace Fenerbace, you are now a bona fide hero in #cyprus.
— Lucas Chrysanthou (@ImpressionUK) August 30, 2013
Who'd have thought it meant so much :-)
— emmet malone (@emmetmalone) August 30, 2013
You can see the excruciatingly drawn out process of selecting that plastic ball from a bowl here.
