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Photo: FCB Basket
Photo Basket FCB
Šarūnas Jasikevičius will already be fighting for his first trophy as a coach at Barça tonight, but the 44-year-old Lithuanian has not forgotten Kaunas Žalgiris’ side, who left this summer.
In communication with AS journalist Josep Margalef, Jasikevičius spared warm words for the former team.
“It is one of the largest and most important organizations in Europe because of the way things are done there. It not only looks at the budget, but also the work that is being done, the conditions that are created and access to the latest technology. . “Žalgiris” is always the first in this field and should be appreciated, “said Jasikevičius about Kaunas Club.
– What does it mean to you that Barça wants to see you as a coach since 2016? July?
– I don’t remember when we made the first contact, but it gave me the impression that we have been communicating every summer since then, but only this year the speeches were much more serious than before. We talk a lot about how to solve the difficulties that we had not agreed on before.
– How did you come to an agreement?
– At first we had to see if the club and I could work together. Once both parties realized that we could do well, the negotiations concluded fairly quickly.
– Do you feel extra pressure?
– Of course. The truth is that the players will say that I put a lot of pressure on them, but I also put pressure on myself. They have to think about how to do things right and work hard. I’m going to give myself completely.
– It is said that winning with Žalgiris in Lithuania is easy, but in 2018. you led the team to the final four of the Euroleague. It was a miracle?
– In my opinion, miracles do not exist, and the fact that winning the Lithuanian league is easy is not true either. It is true that we were a team that others had to win, but I don’t think there is an easy league to win. We had great respect for the other teams and it was not easy for us because we were playing in the Euroleague at the same time.
– What differentiates “Žalgiris” from other teams?
– It is one of the largest and most important organizations in Europe in terms of how things are done there. It not only looks at the budget, but also the work that is being done, the conditions that are created, and access to the latest technology. Žalgiris is always the first in this field and should be appreciated.
– As a player, you have won more Euroleague titles than Barcelona. Is being a coach more difficult to win this trophy?
– All those victories are in the past. As a coach, I have to take care of the day-to-day of the team, above all by instilling the mentality and achieving the type of game we want to see. It takes a lot of work to help another because it involves so many things. In my opinion, mindset is the most important factor and basketball comes only after that.
– Barça only added Nick Calathes this summer. Jan Vesely, Jock Landale, Mario Hezonja teamed up with the club. How many newcomers do you think the team needs?
– I’m not worried about strengthening the team. We train with those players that we have and they work very well. We do not rule out the possibility that we have another newcomer, but at the same time we are in no rush to strengthen ourselves.
– It is said that the team players transmit the coach’s thoughts to the field of play. Does having players like Nick Calathes, Thomas Heurtel, Leandro Bolmar, Brancou Badio facilitate the transmission of your ideas?
– The team’s defenders on the field must think of others. As a coach, I will try hard to help Nick, Thomas, Adam (Hang) and Leandro. Understanding what a coach wants specifically is also a process, but I hope that with each passing day everyone feels more comfortable and knows their role.
– Is it difficult to train a team with so many stars?
– Of course. They (the players) must understand that the most important thing is to put in effort and sacrifice, because all the players on this team will not shoot 20 points each. I know they can do it every day, but at the same time they need to sacrifice, be disciplined and think only of the team. This is something that some players haven’t done yet, but they will have to adapt.
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