Monaco GM Yefimov: 'Obradovic has experience in taking over teams during the season' / News - Basketnews.com

Following the announcement of Sasa Obradovic taking over as Monaco's coach, previously occupied by Zvezdan Mitrovic, club GM Oleksiy Yefimov explained the reasons behind that move.

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Yefimov thanked Mitrovic for his contribution to Monaco's growth and development from the lower divisions to the EuroCup title and then to the EuroLeague, while emphasizing that the decision to cease him didn't mean that he was the sole responsible for the team's bad results over the last weeks.

"First of all, I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Zvezdan whose heart and soul were always with the Roca Team," Yefimov said in his statement.

"I know that he has always done his very best for the project! The club and himself were growing together making all the way from Pro B to the EuroCup title and the EuroLeague participation.

Sometimes, management needs to make hard decisions taking into consideration that the project and its goals are above anyone and anything.

It's important to underline that the fact that we have decided to part ways with the coach doesn't mean that we put the responsibility on his shoulders. Not at all!

All of us - management, coaching staff, players- are responsible for the current situation. We're all on the same boat and we're all in the same storm," he noted.

"It's a common statement that the worst that could be done is a coaching replacement during the season, but at this stage the management believes that it is the right timing and the best move possible in current circumstances.

Our position in the French league is stable while one good Euroleague week can turn the European season into another direction," he firmly assured.

Yefimov also commented on Sasa Obradovic's hire, which he attributed to the Serbian coach's knowledge and experience from handling similar situations in the past.

"Sasa Obradovic is coming to take over the team. Sasa knows the organization, knows the French league, has enough EuroLeague experience and -what's most important- he has experience of taking over teams during the season, as he has done with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar and AS Monaco before," the 35-year-old executive concluded.

A couple of months ago, Oleksiy Yefimov talked to BasketNews about running a EuroLeague club in one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world.

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