Kouseloglou: “In the National Team we have those who made us play basketball”

THE Yannis Kouseloglou had a valuable contribution to victory of the National team over the Netherlands in The Hague. Her power forward AEK he referred to the work done all these days, but also to the importance of the team having people like Vassilis Spanoulis, Nikos Zisis and Dimos Dikoudis next to it. The interview in detail:

-With so many new principles, organization, players, of course coach Spanoulis, we can say that… you got to know each other well in these few days and through two demanding matches?

“Of course, that is true, but we have a long and difficult road ahead and the first thing we should care about is correcting our mistakes. It’s really a new situation, from the coaches to the players, we had to work so much in such a short time, every time you step on the court you have to manage situations properly, learn with your teammates and all fight together to succeed our goals. Goals in sports are not so easily achieved, let’s say let’s go for it and let it be done, it takes a lot of work.”

– Can we say that with all these data, these days beyond the results had a special value that will be seen in the future of this long-term effort that has begun?

“Yes, of course, victory is always a victory and a goal, a defeat may not have affected the essence of the first goal much, but none of us wanted to think about such a possibility. The victories are good, they give confidence and psychology and because every day we are together we have to bond, work to find our automatics, this is good to do with a winning mentality, especially in a team that is now being built on a new basis.”

– The coach has said several times in public that he wants to convey to you the way he and the players of his generation perceive the National Team. Was this parameter a big part of the preparation?

“Look, for me, I’ve been watching Vassilis since I was little and he’s one of those who made me play basketball, it’s a huge honor to have him as a coach, to teach me things and try to pass on his own mentality to me and that’s why I think I can speak for all the children. We play and see that besides the coach, Nikos Zisis, Dimos Dikoudis, those with whom we grew up and for whom we played basketball, are next to us. We want the same, to do something powerful that will pass on to the younger generation, to bring people to the basketball courts.”

-However, your reaction to the difficult part of the match against the Netherlands shows that this team, even when… it falls, will suffer it fighting.

“This is the first and main thing that the coach is trying to convey to us. That every game is a final, regardless of the opponent, we don’t single out anything or anyone, of course we don’t underestimate, we stay focused on the plan and as we say… we bleed the jersey to succeed”.

-For you, the year continues perfectly, has the human and perfectly normal ambition of participating in the Olympic Games nestled in your mind?

“I am a person who tries not to think too far ahead. I always enjoy the honor and the joy of participating in the National Team, I will always be there when they call me. I really like being here and yes, of course I have the dream of such a participation, but what I can do is to keep working, hard and getting better.”