The assessment of the European course by the Presidents
Messrs. Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos spoke to the Media representatives, following the end of the game against CSKA Moscow that closed the curtain for this season’s Olympiacos’ European course.
P. ANGELOPOULOS: «We are proud for the course we have made during these past 10 years. We are the best team in Europe from 2009 through 2015 and we’ll see who is going to qualify for the Final Four and how this is going to go, we may still be the best team in Europe in the last eight years. We went to the locker rooms, talked to the players, told them that we are proud for what we have achieved together, the course we have made and that now we aim for the Championship.
G. ANGELOPOULOS: «Young’s injury was the most important and decisive factor. You cannot easily replace a player of that magnitude within the season. Reporters always have a solution on who we should have brought in. But at the moment Young got injured, there were no players available. Then it was Lojeski who got hurt, who is a key player for Olympiacos’ game. In addition, there have been unfortunate moments and circumstances. We could have qualified over a basket. You cannot say that things went wrong in the summer. This is the reporters’ favorite point of view. Real Madrid did not lose one player and they only managed to qualify due to tie breakers in the last day and with a combination of results. We are proud for what we have achieved with Olympiacos. We are the best team in Europe since 2009 and we are talking about 2009 because this is the year we got the Olympiacos’ shares holdings in our hands. Pride, fans that applaude us and now we are aiming for the Championship and we have a lot of faith in the team. The fans support gives us energy for what comes next.
P. ANGELOPOULOS: When you see CSKA, that is first in the group, knows they are playing Red Star and they are still going all crazy in the bench during an indifferent game, you understand what we have come to achieve in all those years. They won a prestige game. That’s sports. They go on, we are done for the season.
On whether Olympiacos that’s used to be playing the Euroleague play-offs is going to be affected from not continuing
P. ANGELOPOULOS: It’s going to be the first time after all these years that we are going to be watching the play-offs on TV with the players. This is going to be a heeling time for some of the injured ones, like Lojeski. I’m not afraid of how the team is going to react. They know what the goal is, they are going to focus and prepare for the League play-offs».
G. ANGELOPOULOS: Olympiacos is a team of the excess and miracles. What they have achieved in Europe only belong in the realm of fantasy and the miraculous. Given the Olympiacos’ budget and the fact that all the teams have five times the Olympiacos’ budget, it’s a world phenomenon. It’s not possible with the given budget and model that Olympiacos has been implementing, putting faith in Greek players, to go either to Barcelona or the NBA each year. You have to believe in your players and support them no matter what».
On the Euroleague format change
P. ANGELOPOULOS: «Format is changing for the best. We were first in our group and joined the most difficult group ever, while the other group was …. The system with the games held at different hours during the last day of the round has been addressed by our Club and we’ve been told that it serves TV purposes».
On whether they feel more determined after the disqualification
G. ANGELOPOULOS: «Nothing changes. Olympiacos will not play the play-offs, but it’s probable we will remain the top European team in the last eight years. This is for everyone to understand what this team has achieved».
P. ANGELOPOULOS: «Even if we had made it, we would still be determined. Our determination does not wane or strengthens based on success or failure. We are the only team that was first the European Champion and then the Greek Champion. When you have achieved something like that, you simply put your faith in the team and keep on trying».
On who’s the favorite to win the Final Four
P. ANGELOPOULOS: «I don’t want to make a prediction for the Final Four. Let’s just say that Barcelona hasn’t won it since 2010 and CSKA, huge budgets and all, hasn’t won since 2008.
G. ANGELOPOULOS: «I don’t want to make a prediction. Good luck to CSKA, we wish them the best when we saw them tonight.”