By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Gran Canaria coach Fotis Katsikaris said that he was told by the club Sports Director Berdi Perez that he will be waived when the Spanish League’s final phase is completed. Katsikaris’ team can advance to the semifinals with a win over tournament host Valencia Friday (26/6).
“I don’t understand telling me that they want to cut me before a decisive game and I see it as very unfair,” Katsikaris said in an interview with Encestando. Katsikaris signed a two-year deal with Gran Canaria in 2019 with the second year of the contract being guaranteed.
“There were some clauses such as being in the top eight of the league,” Katsikaris said. “But with the coronavirus, the competition stopped and it wasn’t possible to know if we would be eighth or not. Now we can finish among the top four, which is among the top eight. So I think there weren’t any conditions to cut my contract and even less to treat it here, unexpectedly and without waiting for the next week to talk about it.”
If Gran Canaria beats Valencia then they will qualify to the semifinal stage for the third time in the history of the club.
“Despite the discomfort that they have created for me, I am going to focus on my work and supporting my players to prepare well for Friday’s game,” Katsikaris added.
UPDATE: Gran Canaria issued a statement in response to the interview, saying that there’s neither a dismissal nor “cutting” of Katsikaris’ contract but an exercise of one of its clauses. The club mentions that there’s a term on the contract according to which an opt-out clause can be exercised until before June 25, if certain team goals aren’t met. “These objectives would always be achieved, or not, before June 25,” the statement adds, in relation to Katsikaris’ comments about Gran Canaria still fighting for a spot in the Top 4.