By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohooops.net
Coach Ettore Messina all but said goodbye to CSKA Moscow after the 3rd place game in Milan. The first question in the press conference was “what about next season” from a female Russian journalist and the answer – in Russian – by the Italian coach was: “You are are a smart lady, you know the answer”.
Messina admitted that “we got chemistry problems the whole season, it’s not a mystery” and he almost agreed that “CSKA Moscow was like a family without love, but you know well how much I love this club and how much it means to me. I did my best. If you think that my best were not enough, then I understand”. And when he was asked about the future of the team, despite the fact that he still had a contract for next season, he said: “I am not the right person to answer this question. You have to ask those who are in charge. I can’t give you my opinion on that, because I am not the one who will take the decisions”.
So it remains to be seen, not if coach Messina leaves the team, but if he ends up in the NBA as coach Gregg Popovich assistant in San Antonio.