By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Ergin Ataman’s name is highly linked with Galatasaray’s history in the recent years. The coach admitted on Sabah that he had offers from other clubs but couldn’t leave his current team: “I couldn’t get the offers I was excepting from top tier teams, I had different opportunities but decided not to sign with lower level teams.”
The Turkish coach also mentioned the possibility of coaching the Italian national team: “I was a big candidate for the Italian NT head coaching vacancy. The IBF President was pretty interested in me, but in the last minute he called me and said they decided to go with an Italian coach and that is normal for me.”
As for what he would do if Fenerbahçe offers him the head coaching position in the future, he notes: “Normally, as a pro coach I should be able to sign with any team in the world. But as an individual, I am considered as a legend of Galatasaray basketball. We live in turkey, here things are different. Turkish people are emotional. so I don’t think an offer will come up to me from Fenerbahçe in the future, and also I don’t think I could work for them.”
Ataman seems to have presidential goals for Galatasaray as well: “I am considering to be a candidate for the team’s Presidency when my club membership reaches to 10 years.”
Finally, he comments on Sinan Guler’s decision to join Galatasaray’s rival, Fenerbahce: “I was told that Galatasaray didn’t have a serious offer for Sinan. I think his move is normal from the pro standpoint. Everyone dreams about going to a European champion team.”