Ataman explores relationship with fans and Giannakopoulos, touches on Nunn's transfer / News - Basketnews.com
Ergin Ataman talked about Panathinaikos' win in the Greek league derby vs. Olympiacos, his rapport with the team's fans and owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos, and how the deal with Kendrick Nunn was made possible.
Credit: Vangelis Stolis Credit Vangelis StolisIn an interview with the Anadolu Agency, Ergin Ataman talked about Panathinaikos' win in last Monday's Greek derby against Olympiacos Piraeus and Kendrick Nunn's signing.
Points this season
47%80,2Points made:80,2Accuracy:46,8%Place in standings:9Record max:95Record min:69Best scorer:Mathias LessortTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsScheduleAfter two losses to the Reds, PAO prevailed in Piraeus by 66-54, thus racking up their second win in the last 20 games against their main rivals.
"We formed a new team. We were not ready for the Super Cup and lost badly against them," Ataman admitted.
"We led most of the first match in the EuroLeague but lost in extra time. It was a very difficult atmosphere in Piraeus. We played very well in the second half of the match and implemented tactical changes. We got a clear victory. This victory made the club very happy. We broke Olympiacos' psychological advantage," he said.
Stating that the derby win put Panathinaikos fans in a good mood, the 57-year-old coach recalled his words when he first came to Greece.
"I said that we would end the dominance of Olympiacos. This victory was very nice. The fans have had great love and excitement towards me since the first day I came. Many fans thank me for coming.
There are huge expectations of me. The important thing is to win the championship at the end and restore Panathinaikos to its old days."
Credit Vangelis Stolis
Ataman stated that he was very happy and excited by the fans' show of love towards him after the Olympiakos win.
"The fans enjoy seeing an enthusiastic coach who has achieved great success. There was great excitement when I raised my classic double fist in the first derby match. However, unfortunately, we lost that game," he lamented.
"When we returned from Piraeus to Athens, it was 1 a.m. Thousands of fans welcomed the bus with flares in front of the arena. They stopped the bus and we could not move for half an hour. They were chanting my name and expecting a punch show from me. I gave them a response," he recounted.
Panathinaikos Athens / Schedule
Panathinaikos Athens Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz95-81 FC Barcelona Panathinaikos AthensFri19:30Ataman thinks it's very important for a coach to bond with the fans.
"The excitement had disappeared in recent years. We rekindled it. It was incredible. I had difficulty entering the arena and my office. I could only leave the office at 3 am. It is an amazing thing. As a Turkish coach, being embraced and loved in this way is extremely important in terms of the friendship of the people of the two countries."
Ataman praised the club's owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos for making Kendrick Nunn's signing possible. The Turkish tactician underlined that the former Lakers guard had offers from many teams, among them Olympiacos.
"The owner has great confidence in me. In every statement, he says, 'We have the best coach in Europe and we will achieve success with him.' So, a big responsibility falls on me. We did not establish a team with an astronomical budget. Our only player with Final Four experience is Kostas Sloukas. We need a scorer and a point guard," he added.
Credit Vangelis Stolis
Ataman explained that Nunn fits the job description because of his resume and successful NBA stint.
"When such a possibility arose, we completed this transfer immediately. Many teams were after him, especially Olympiacos. When the owner puts his mind to something, he always does it. It was a great transfer success.
Giannakopoulos made a big move, just like the Sloukas transfer. I spoke to Nunn on the phone three days before the transfer and he made his decision," he revealed.
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