By Niki Bakouli/ bakouli@eurohoops.net
On Monday he went to practice for the first time as a coach and today legendary captain of Panathinaikos Fragkiskos Alvertis was announced as the new head coach of the team. As a player, he has won five Euroleague titles with the team in which he was playing since he was 18 years old. He will have the help of Dimitris Priftis, Sotiris Manolopoulos (also assistant of former coach Pedoulakis) and Nikos Pappas.
As he said: “Having served Panathinaikos for about 25 years, I am in a position to know first-hand about the pressure and the demands this team has. I didn’t arrive yesterday in Panathinaikos. It’s the team I have lived with more than half of the years I am on this planet. I have full knowledge of what I am about to do. Being from Panathinaikos, I have more than an obligation to contribute the maximum in order for this team to achieve its goals, goals we are ‘doomed’ to chase. It’s a big challenge for me. I and the rest of the coaching staff will do the best in order to accomplish our mission. We are well aware that it’s not going to be easy, but to fight is part of life, and we’ll fight to bring out the best”.