Papanikolaou: “Friday’s derby is different, Spanoulis has the know-how for the national team”

A good psychological boost and nothing more is for him Olympic the Super Cup, as made clear by Kostas Papanikolaou speaking on EEC Web Radio. The captain of the team emphasized that he expects a very different game on Friday, when his team faces Panathinaikos in the OAKA for the Euroleague.

At the same time, he explained why at the award in Rhodes gave the trophy to Giorgos Bartzokaswhile he referred to recruitment of Vassilis Spanoulis stressing that he is the right choice for the National team, because he knows perfectly well how it should work. In detail, the 33-year-old ace spoke:

To win the Super Cup: “The Super Cup for us was clearly a psychological boost. It is too early in the season to say anything and draw any firm conclusions about any team. It was definitely a boost of psychology and energy so that we can keep working hard and get the confirmation that we are doing a good job and the motivation to keep going.”

On whether starting the season with title matches put pressure on them in preparation: “Pressure is part of the job of a professional athlete, coach and so on, as in any job for any person there is the pressure to perform and be right for their job. What the Super Cup creates is a sense of activation from very early on, which I think is a good thing because it puts you on alert from very early on to go into the season focused and strong. It’s different to start with Panathinaikos in a Super Cup final, compared to a league match with another team.”

For the scope of the victory over Panathinaikos: “There is a tendency in the world to become something bigger than it is. Sure it was a win by a wide margin, but it doesn’t mean anything. For us who work every day, just like for Panathinaikos, we know that the difficult things are ahead and the year is too long to draw any conclusion from a game between two unprepared teams. If you go into the process of assuming or taking anything for granted after a game on September 29-30, you’ve already lost a big chunk of your year. When you’re a champion, the bottom line is to improve day by day and that’s the only way you can continue to claim titles and great things on the court.”

For the elements of their game they want to improve: “All parts of our game need improvement. The fact that we managed to make such a performance does not mean that the team has reached the desired level and that we are where we want to be. Championship requires you to improve and get better day by day. When you stop trying to improve, very quickly another team will overtake you and you will find the problem in front of you.”

For all players on the roster to help: “The “body” that has existed for the last 2-3 years certainly plays a role in this, so that there is a constant, a point of reference. Our preparation was very difficult, we haven’t even trained together yet to be able to work with each other, to see what phases we can pull off and our weaknesses. What a lot of people don’t understand is that doing a proper preparation can be half of your year. You can’t fit the preparation part into the year.”

For the fact that there are players who do not yet know the team’s playing philosophy: “In these two games we played, there were too many moments when we were on the bench with Nicolas and he was turning around and asking me what we should do in certain phases. By speaking, each of the children who know the philosophy tries to help the others, so that they can adapt and join in little by little. It’s different to say it than to do it on the field. We tried very hard with the communication part to pass on things, which, thanks to the insight of many children, managed to be understood and presented in the games we played.”

For giving the trophy to Giorgos Bartzokas for him to lift: “I said it at some point, that it is the 4th year of the coach here and we have lived two very successful seasons, a lot of work has been done. My own thought at the time was that he should receive the recognition in the piece that he deserves as well. That’s what I thought at the time and that’s why it happened. I think it was also seen from the reaction of all the children to how they accepted this moment and how much they enjoyed it afterwards. It plays a very important role that there is mutual respect and the self-awareness of everyone that here we are a whole and together we win or lose. Certainly this starts with the coach, but it is also in the temperament of each child to accept it, perceive it correctly and move on”.

For the Euroleague premiere against Panathinaikos at OAKA (06/10): “We are definitely expecting a different game. There is also the advantage for both teams that we have already played once and there are some elements that have been presented in the match, which they can use for the 2nd. Everything will play its own role in the game and it will definitely be a completely different game compared to the last one.”

For the new coach of the national team, Vassilis Spanoulis: “First of all, I think he is a right choice for the national team. Vassilis knows very well what a national team means, he has brought success with the National Team, he has managed to unite all of Greece together with the rest of the guys from 2005 and 2006. He has the “know how” and I think he can pass this mentality that the kids had in those years to us and to do our best to represent our country. Knowing Vassilis, his motivation will be and is huge, so I’m looking forward to working with him on this new endeavor.”