Kosovo's Greek coach: Here they think Greeks are closer to Serbs

Is there an obsession with ballmaking in Kosovo, as all those who have traveled there say?

“Yes, it is true that there is a basketball mania in the country. For many years, Kosovo was under pressure. The people were not allowed to attend sporting events, to have tickets in groups. I'm talking about the last years of Milosevic's presidency in Serbia. In previous years, during the Yugoslav regime, Kosovo has had an active sports presence. All the pressure they have experienced has already become energy and available. I try my best to create something good for the country.

They have a basketball tradition, don't they?

Some of the championship clubs in Kosovo have a very high budget, as Tony Konstantinidis has shown me, when he was a coach in Rethimno.

“Constantinidis was in Pristina and shortly before the lockdown returned to the Kosovo capital. Two teams have a really good budget, that's true. There are people who are really interested in ballplay. I was present at the Kosovo Cup Final 8 and was very impressed. The basketball gym in the town of Rahovec was young and beautiful, full of fans of all clubs. Unfortunately, we don't develop Final 8 in Greece”.

Is anyone familiar?

Their best-known player, Dardan Berisha, who has played in the past in Italy, Poland, has made a very good career in European gyms. He has returned to Kosovo after many years abroad and wants to stay with his family. You watch basketball more slowly now, because he's old. There are other players who have played for smaller nationals of other countries, such as Slovenia or Turkey. For example, Kosovo is Sipahi, who has played for the National of Turkey for years. Kosovar were also the Becirovic family. Who in the past were good left Kosovo and took other citizenship in other neighbouring countries. It's a problem and we want to return those who have changed citizenship. ”

What is the population of Kosovo?

It's somewhere in two million. But they have many large diaspora, many immigrants abroad. In America, in colleges, they play 5, 6 players. There are also large diaspora in Europe. Kosovars have many in Switzerland, Germany, when we played in Luxembourg, the gym was packed by 80% of Kosovo immigrants. ”

It's a risk, anyway, to take over your first job as a coach in the National Team, because you don't have the same control with a club.

When the president of the Federation of Kosovo approached me, he told me that we may not have the installations and infrastructure as do the nationals of other countries, but we have the patience they do not have. That was a major factor in my accepting the proposal. From now on, I believe everything is a role. I don't believe in basketball that only one can run, that groups are necessary. In the Federation, there's a team of trainers working and I believe a coach group drives a team forward and not one. We no longer live in the '80s where there was a dictator-trainer and everyone else was disciplined to him.

Now, all the trainers have their own group and that's what I'm trying to do in Kosovo. It is my obligation to help train Kosovo trainers. In essence, to form one group and 4-5 other people can do something together. Thus, responsibilities and obligations are shared, and what you really need to do is manage. It's a very different role with what I had before, but I still don't want to look like a leader and everyone else follow me. No, we're a team, of course I'll be the one to award, but not impose. Nowadays, this is an old model. ”

All your associates are Kosovars?

Yeah, all my associates are Kosovars. I have an experience associate who's been part of the Federation for years and three young and hopeful trainers who train teams in A1 and A2 and are the ones who singled out the Federation, who gave evidence to improve with my presence. They know how to communicate in English, they have a level of experience, etc. ”

What do you want to build “” in Kosovo? What's your vision?

“We want to build “a mentality for all basketball in the country. This requires a lot of work, much job promotion, contact through journalists, to have community support. We want to build “a game and training approach, which is the same for all, and because the Federation has great control over associations, to spread to unions. To have a model where we have strong protection, we'll surprise you and we'll score three points. The model we choose will spread throughout Kosovo basketball. To do a coaching training, to do court training -- is a big deal that will be done in all directions. ”

Are you responsible for the other nationals?

I am also responsible for the other teams of the National of Kosovo, because my associates are and my trainers are first at younger ages. The basketball we want to play will be delivered to my associates at other ages. One of the reasons I will go to Kosovo in August is to see the talents of the smallest age”.

The dream is for Kosovo to participate in major events like this. Eurobasket?

“Yes, participate in Eurobasket. The dream of people working together in Kosovo is to succeed in building an academic system, to connect it to school sports, so that each year a sufficient number of players can be formed for A1 groups and “the nation's” for the next 10 seasons. Their plan is too long. They're more interested in producing players, and preparing them to play at the level of Basketball Chamongs League, Eurocup, Euroliga. That's how they believe it will grow and the Nationale. More importantly, they give the development of players about the development of a team. ”

It reminds you of Greece from the 1980s.

That's what I meant. The whole facility reminds you of Greece in the 1980s when the EOK Development Programme was just beginning to implement, the war that Giorgos Vasilocopoulos was then providing so that basketball could be broadcast on television every Saturday. Like Greece in the 1980s. The mechanisms and activities of the Federation of Kosovo are much like those of those who run basketball in Greece during the 1980s. ”

How was Kosovo welcomed?

The expectations at first were slightly lost as there was a prejudice regarding Greek descent. In Kosovo they think that we are closer to the Serbs and that we do not support them in their fight of independence. Personally, I focused more on the commons we have as Balkan peoples than on those things that divide us. Then he was embraced by the team and filled with gyms in the match that took place with Iceland. There is still a group of people in Kosovo who still think about uniting Kosovo with Albania, and they were not so much supporting something national in Kosovo, but still the gym was filled with people and supported the team. It was a bet to be won. We made a huge communicative effort so people could understand what we want and support the team. Fortunately, such a thing happened, and the National Party was very supportive. The popularity is approaching the football National, which truly is the pride of Kosovo. ”

The fact that you are a Greek coach helped you in Kosovo get the job? Many Greek trainers work abroad and mostly at high levels.

It didn't help. There were many who did not see me well, not because of basketball. When it focused on basketball, people embraced 100% of the project both inside and outside the Federation. What helped me get my job was the developmental experience I had at Olympiacos. When I was at Olympiacos, young team players appeared. That's why I got the job. The methodology and experience I had at Olympiacos, they want me to convey it to Kosovo./Periscope. com/