Zeljko-Obradovic

He opened the drawer and pulled out a thick book without a cover ...

"Look at this," with a smile, "I only consult this from time to time ..."

San Antonio's action from last, championship season. Season in which they cleared the floor with Miami Heath. The book for free evaluation has 150 pages of drawings. All kinds of combinations for all types of defense. From the front car, from the ball to the side. What is the Spur Specification, the release of a spell while you are thinking of building a position under the basket and anything else that throws an opponent's knee defensive.

Gregg Popovich had enough of his basketballs from Ivkovic and Obradovic. The basic principle of attacking San Antonio's "penetration and backward ball" was brought to perfection by Zeljko Obradović, the leading PAO. Gregg Popovich never bothered to admit where he borrowed this system. Before the match with Fener in Istanbul, Gregg complained to his new assistant Ettore Messina:

"Imagine, he does not drink ... not even a glass of wine. How can somebody be a good trainer if he does not drink?"

Popovich, with all the temperament and nervousness of a coach, has learned over time that the job is not being carried home. He does not usually wear it home.

"We're doing our best to win ... If it's enough ... great, if it does not ... we're going to dinner anyway ... life does not end there."

Željko Obradović and after eight European championship titles are burning for any defeat. His long-distance lines have long been legendary. His face absorbs an incredible shade of purple color as he stretches out his hands, lashes and turns his back on the ground and "heightened tone" explains the bench what was not right.

"Does anyone feel angry if you are silent? No ... If you hit haha ​​..."

He always found a way. Tactical is ahead of every European coach. How many just broke their teeth by trying to copy his style of play. Popovich succeeded, but he had a couple ... hm ... good players to do it in action. Others are not. Or they simply could not understand. A little bit of crying. You can watch the trainings. He says mostly everything in lectures.

In Partizana he had Djordjevic and Danilovic. In Juventus Villacamp, Jofres brothers and Corny Thompson. In Real Sabonis and Arlauckas and the most awesome possible group of blessings (as he once described to Dejan Bodiroga: "Antunjeza all called the Tantunjez in the dressing room ... because this one did not quite understand some things").

Benetton played Henry Williams and Zeljko Rebrača. Then came Panathinaikos and decades of rule. Players, good players changed. The system of games was changed as well, and the trophies came to fruition. Total five for 13 years on the bench. Only twice during that period were not Greece's premiers. Two!Boziroga, Diamatidis, Rebrača, Lakovič, Spanoulis, Batiste, Alvertis, Dikoudis, Tomasevic, Nicholas, Fotsis, Tsartsaris, Hatzivrettas, Kutluay ... The ball rolled under the basket, Bodiroga played one by one at the height of the penalty line. Middleton worked all over the country. Then the best pick'n'roll attack was played in the history of European basketball, a breakthrough and a return, and another, and another, while the defense did not rupture and the player remained silent.

He returned to the game with three low in five. The same game that Giannakis wrote over leading Greece to the title of the European Champion in 2005. It seemed, especially after the 2007, 2009, 2011 series, that Panathinaikos wins European championship titles when it wants. It only needs to add a couple of players each year to the nucleus that exists and ride to the sunset. But in all European countries, with the exception of Germany and somewhat of England, good things in sports do not last.

When something is wrong, then it needs to be changed because it is not worth it. When something is good, then that needs to be changed because it has been good for a long time ....
He left Athens and made a break for a year. They watched the pistons work ... Fenerbahce waited and waited for his chance.

Fenerbahce is among the two clubs in the world by the number of fans - 30 million ... Wait a bit to balance this information. Yes, 30 million registered people who really breathe and live blue-yellow. Basketball? Which black basketball player. The ball is there mom, daddy, shaved, aunts ... The containers are on Atišehir blue-yellow. Bus stops. Pools in the nearby restaurants are so color. People start to shake hands when Fener is mentioned.