Itoudis talks Madar transfer, reveals he offered Spanoulis as a new Greece coach / News - Basketnews.com

Fenerbahce head coach Dimitris Itoudis said he talked with Zeljko Obradovic before signing Yam Madar, adding that hiring Vassilis Spanoulis as a new Greece coach was his idea.

Credit: Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images, ABA League j.t.d./Dragana Stjepanovic Credit Tolga Adanali/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images, ABA League j.t.d./Dragana Stjepanovic

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul prepare for the challenge in the Stark Arena against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which will be a return game for a point guard, Yam Madar.

Yam Madar

MIN:15.47PTS:7.4 (61.11%)REB:1.6As:1.8ST:1.4BL:0.2TO:1GM:5ProfileEuroLeague2023/2024

During the summer, Madar made a rather unexpected move from Partizan to Fenerbahce, and head coach Dimitris Itoudis shed some light on how this transfer capitalized.

Interestingly, Itoudis revealed he had a conversation with Zeljko Obradovic about signing Madar.

"He was a free agent," Itoudis told Milun Nesovic from meridiansport.rs. "I also spoke with Zeljko when we were offered a player who was certainly interested in signing with us. I was the first to say that we are not interested if he is not free."

"And I was convinced that he was under contract! That's why I turned to Zeljko to see what was happening there. What those nuances were from the legal side, that's not my job," Itoudis added.

Fenerbahce coach also revealed that he warned Madar about leaving Partizan.

"I told him [Madar] this summer that he is leaving a very successful team and coach and has strong competition here in his position. He said: 'I don't care, whoever is there is welcome, and I'm going to prove that I matter.' It speaks to his character," Itoudis explained.

Meanwhile, Obradovic, in an earlier interview, explained that a change of mind occurred in Madar in a short span of time. Obradovic believes that someone got to Madar.

"He came from Tel Aviv specifically to talk to me. We talked about his plans for about 2 hours in a cafe next to my house. At every point, he mentioned his plans, his appreciation, and the progress he made [when in Partizan]."

The initial positivity between the parties unraveled quickly, however.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul / Schedule

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul Olympiacos Piraeus79-77 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulThu19:30 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade Fenerbahce Beko IstanbulTue19:45

"Not long after, Madar called me and talked about money. He stated that he wasn't happy with his contract. When I asked about the absence of this topic in our first meeting, he said that he only recently realized that the money he was receiving wasn't sufficient," Obradovic added.

Nevertheless, Itoudis gave plenty of praise to his new signing.

"He belongs to the category of player who lives for basketball and loves the game. It's nice to see that because he respects basketball, and it will pay him back," Itoudis said about Madar.

"I have a lot of room to improve. He worked under Zeljko Obradovic, so it's easier for me and the team. He is very explosive; he reads situations very well.

His enthusiasm needs to be curbed a bit, but he is a very strong defensive player who always competes. He motivates himself. In defense, he can take on any player; he gives us aggressiveness from the first line," Itoudis added.

Itoudis was also asked about the Greece national team. The 53-year-old left the national team after an unsuccessful FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 campaign.

Even though Itoudis was replaced, he is very happy for Vassilis Spanoulis, who took over the national team.

"I talked to him. Very good move," Itoudis told meridiansport.rs. "He was my idea! I hope that we will all get together, that they will have as few problems as possible and as many players [available] as possible."

Itoudis also believes that Spanoulis wanted to become a coach long before he retired from professional basketball.

"Even then [in his playing days], he wanted to be a coach. The same as Saras Jasikevicius. That was clearly visible. Diamantidis never wanted that, but these two – absolutely," Itoudis concluded.

Fenerbahce will face Partizan on Thursday at 20:30 CET.

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