Ataman: “I had talks with Olympiakos, I have enormous respect for the Angelopoulos brothers”

At the beginning of February, Effects had been hosted by Olympic in SEF, in the framework of the 23rd Euroleague game, with the “red and white” winning with a score of 76-70.

In the context of the match, the coach of the Turks, Ergin Ataman, gave an interview on Cosmote TV’s ‘Pick n’ roll’ show, and talked, both about discussions which he previously had with people from Olympiakos to take over the team, as well as for his coaching career in Turkey and Italy.

Among other things, the Turkish coach expressed the huge respect which feeds to the owners of Piraeus, George and Panagiotis Angelopouloswhile he also made a special mention to George Bartzokasemphasizing that this year Olympiacos is playing the best basketball in Europe.

Ergin Ataman said in detail:



On whether he wants to become the first Turkish coach in Greece: “I don’t know, there are many good coaches in Turkey. The former federal coach (Orhun) Ene, Saritsa, many coaches, so… OK, maybe for me now it’s difficult because after all this success my budget is very high. Therefore I will go to large groups. But also in the past, when I wasn’t in such a job and I didn’t have such a budget in Ephesus… No one had come from Greece to make me an offer. And now, as I told you, there are many coaches who are ready, and if they have a proposal they will probably come to work in Greece, why not?”

On whether it is true that years ago he was proposed to Olympiakos: “No, nothing official had happened. Just a few words with the former general manager of Olympiakos (Christos Stavropoulos) who is now in Milan. I have enormous respect for the owners of Olympiakos, every time we are there we have a good time. But I never had an official offer from Olympiakos before. If I had it, I would definitely review it in the past. Now Olympiacos has one of the best coaches in Europe, coach Bartzokas. He is amazing, with his team he is playing the best basketball this season in the Euroleague. And I hope they continue together for many years. Later, I don’t know, this is our professional life. Maybe one day he will go somewhere else, he will come to Efes and I will come to Olympiakos, who knows”.

For which food he prefers, Greek, Turkish or Italian: “Italian food is dangerous at this age. I’m trying to control my weight so I think right now I’d say fish. Also today I ate in Piraeus, in Mikrolimanos, in a restaurant there. Greece has excellent fish restaurants, I love fish. Perhaps, therefore, Italian spaghetti with Greek fish and in Turkey of course doner kebab, iskender kebab”.

For which country out of Greece, Italy and Turkey has the best beaches: “Greece! Because for me the Aegean is the best sea in the world. Ok, I also really like Italy, Sardinia, the Italian islands, but for me the Aegean is the best in the world.”

On what his ideal job would be once he finishes his coaching career: “I won’t do any work, I’ll take a small boat. And I’m going to eat at Zeljko Obradovic’s restaurant on the Greek island, it will be perfect.”

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