Bartzokas: «The club's statement had me completely covered»

The coach of Olympiacos, Giorgos Bartzokas, talked about the win over Promitheas, but also about everything that transpired outside of the court lines following the game at the OAKA.

«We have had good and bad moments in the game. Promitheas is always a serious team. They are very good at iso, very good in players that create their own shots and with good defensive principals. We had to play serious basketball to win. Many times, we acted naive after we were leading by 18. All the players must be able to showcase their readiness level in view of a difficult and demanding Euroleague post-season. Congratulations to Promitheas. We are now focusing on the big games that follow».

Then, following a question about how he experiences a certain situation that has intensified lately, he said: «As you just said, it has intensified, meaning it's not a new thing, it's been going on for three years now. It's obviously related to the results we have had in our European and Greek League match-ups (i.e. with Panathinaikos). I think though that with what has happened, and I can analyze this with number if you wish me to, we helped increase the interest in basketball in Greece, in terms of web pages visits, actual fan engagement, increase in ticket sales, increase in teams' budgets, increase in revenues. So, gradually, I think that basketball is blooming again, following a crisis period the sport when through in our country. I believe that Olympiacos has helped a lot in that respect, because we went to two Final Fours, once again created expectations that Greek basketball can be at the European top, even if our budget is one third of that of other Euroleague teams. It's an organization very much loved by our fans. Those of you who are close to the club can see that. The team is loved because it's a team that fights, competes, has good chemistry among its members and of course, has been playing very good basketball in the last three years, as coaches in Europe have been attesting. We won seven titles in a row and Panathinaikos has invested too much money to practically beat us. So, that's a very good thing for Panathinaikos. You can see how their team has evolved and how invested their fans are. That means that to a point, we have done them good also. Now, if I take a kind detached look, I would add that I'm kind of honored that everyone on their team is picking on me, Mr. Giannagopoulos who has been talking a lot against me, and all those who report or expand on what Mr. Giannakopoulos is saying. They are all so keen about me leaving Olympiacos. That's a budge of honor, because it shows that I must be doing something good for my team».

And he went on to say: «I can see it that way, too. Quite often, I made fun of it. Many times, when he would say that I'm 190cm tall (I'm not, I'm 200cm..), but I'm a small human being... He said that once, twice, five times, ten... I don't have social media, peopled would be telling me about it quite often. I thought that I'm also one of those targeted by Mr. Giannakopoulos at times. Just like I said before, I don't have any social media, nor I have any Media to back me up, neither have I ever asked Olympiacos to offer me support, because I believe that all of this is toxic. My relations with my opponents are those with the other coaches that are my colleagues. With all of the eight that Mr. Giannakopoulos has employed and fired from the Panathinaikos bench during my second tenure with Olympiacos, because during those four years he has changed eight coaches. You can ask each one of them if I have showed them respect, if I had welcomed them not only with professionalism, but also with warmth, you can ask them about my relationship with them after they left Panathinaikos as well. So, in regard to my colleagues, I have no doubt that I treated them right. Now, what's been happening here, is that we have systematic propaganda, that can be easily acknowledged by anyone who has graduated even elementary school. Anyone can see that is directed. But, let's focus on the positives of all of that. My club's statement had me completely covered and I thank them for it. I don't feel alone, if you also need to hear me say that. Because I'm the coach, not because I'm Bartzokas. I feel the love, the support and the empathy of all that huge mass of the team fans. Together, we are going to do the best for our team, as always».