Crvena Zvezda president criticizes EuroLeague, rates the season / News - Basketnews.com

Covic said the season was bad and blamed it on player scouting which was largely done by now-former head coach Dusko Ivanovic. After criticizing the EuroLeague, Covic named his successor to be Zeljko Drcelic.

Credit: Marko Metlas/BETAPHOTO/SIPA Credit Marko Metlas/BETAPHOTO/SIPA

Although Nemanja Nedovic has previously said it to be the strongest roster he's ever played in, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade have not achieved in the EuroLeague what they were built for.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade / Schedule

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade Olympiacos Piraeus86-89 Anadolu Efes Istanbul Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradeThu17:30

Crvena Zvezda will finish the regular season in 16th place regardless of any results in the last round. Although the club changed the coach early in the season, letting go of Dusko Ivanovic, who went on to coach Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, and hiring Ioannis Sfairopoulos, the results ultimately did not arrive, at least internationally.

"The season is bad for us from the Euroleague point of view for the simple reason that we were unlucky. On the other hand, we made mistakes in scouting by relying on an experienced coach and a man who knows basketball very well, Dusko Ivanovic," Crvena Zvezda's president, Nebojsa Covic, said in an interview with Predrag Saric from Meridian Sport.

"We brought in Shabazz Napier to be the first playmaker, and he wasn't even the fifth. And when your house on the beach collapses, then you know what happens. With Yago [dos Santos] being brought in to be the third point guard, he became the first," Covic explained. "We were also struck by many injuries, we did not have a sufficient level of commitment in scouting, and we paid the price for those failures through the Euroleague."

The biggest goal is now winning the ABA League, which unofficially grants a place in the next year's EuroLeague. Currently, Crvena Zvezda are in first place with 21 wins and 4 losses, two games clear of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Ivanovic started the EuroLeague season 1-3 and was let go in the middle of October, just weeks into the new year. Sfairopoulos has since gone 9-19 with the squad.

Free throws this season

78%13,8Points made:13,8Accuracy:77,6%Place in standings:8Record max:24Record min:8Most made FTs:Milos TeodosicTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"When I say this, I don't mean anything bad about Dusko Ivanovic, but when gossips run around, both among those who know something about basketball and those who don't... The reason why he left is simple - it's exactly what I said about the [player] selection," Covic said.

"In my opinion, the crowning goal is winning the ABA League. Of course, in order to win, you need to be first at the end of the regular season, we know what happened to us at the end of last year," the president said. "The advantage of the home field is great. Whether it will always be, we will see. I think a large number of players are coming back from injuries, we will have a complete team for the end, of course, if we are lucky."

The ABA League has seen an important development recently, with a club from Dubai being admitted into the tournament. The UAE organization would cover the travel expenses and inject the competition with additional money every season, which would be distributed among other clubs.

While it was expected for the EuroLeague to perform the same move, welcoming Dubai into the family with the EuroCup being the starting point, the motion hasn't been fully executed yet.

"Market expansion. Second, Dubai can bring a lot of financial, sponsorship, and other effects, which is not small for the Euroleague," Covic explained why he is for such a move. "If it's 100 million euros per year and you compare it with football, which last year had around three and a half billion, you will see that we are not even one percent. So there is room for such things to be raised because the Euroleague is a league that does not have any profit now."

"If by any chance the EuroLeague was on the American market, it wouldn't even be played. Because in American sports, there is no such thing as giving money and giving every year without getting anything [in return]," Covic said. "They even receive dividends."

One of the hottest topics in Europe has been the EuroLeague A licenses. The league's CEO, Paulius Motiejunas, has mentioned in an interview with BasketNews that he sees a lot of violations in the games that both Crvena Zvezda and Partizan host despite the viral atmosphere they create.

With the league hesitant to give it to either of the two Belgrade clubs, Covic pushed back quite heavily.

"We have to fight for our position. Why couldn't Belgrade have two Euroleague teams, while Athens can? Why should we suffer because our Western neighbors do not understand, will not, and do not want to develop basketball?" Covic asked.

"Cibona is a big name, Olimpija is a big name, without the addition of Cedevita. They used to be EuroLeague competitors, let them invest now, let them engage in it," he reasoned. "Belgrade has two Euroleague teams and I think we contribute a lot - both Zvezda and Partizan. And I don't see any reason for us to fight all the time."

"If we are so bigoted, don't play against us. Don't bother with us, let us go, we are backward, primitive, and whatever," Covic ironically said. "Well, now those who are involved in other non-Olympic disciplines are going to 'turn on' - that's nationalism, chauvinism..."

Covic has previously declared he would step away from his position as the president of the club after years of service. He has now named his successor.

"I think it's Zeljko Drcelic, the president of the Board of Directors," Covic announced.

"I think he is a man who has enough energy, youthfulness, and capacity to effectively approach all the challenges in basketball. I really think we hit the right spot with the man, as well as with a good number of people on the Board of Directors. This time, we didn't miss with the scouting. I think this scouting is very important as a potential to never miss again or to miss as little as possible," he concluded.

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