By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Khimki Moscow had a tough time throughout the last year both results-wise and financially, causing the club to drop out of EuroLeague and VTB League, and now compete in the Russian Super League.
Coach Rimas Kurtinaitis was on the bench of the team during those times, trying to lead the squad through many issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but got fired mid-season.
He hasn’t been holding any grudges against the club and considers Khimki his second home. However, while he didn’t pressure the management to pay off the debt towards him, it doesn’t mean he will not take the necessary step eventually, including going the court.
“We were very close to winning a few games, but in the end, we were unlucky. Then the management decided to make a cut. No results – the contract is terminated. The team has already started to have financial problems, so they did not pay my debts. Sponsors left, they paid salaries to some, to some not. It is not clear to me by which principles it was decided,” Kurtinaitis told Sport Express and continued.
“I don’t want to go to court. I already have such experiences from working in Poland and Italy. I would like to make an agreement with Khimki. If I had gone to court before the start of the season, FIBA could have prevented Khimki from playing in the Super League. I didn’t want to do so much harm to the club, but, in return, I want some respect … Maybe they believe that I am to blame for the bad. But there are no such conditions in the contract: if you win – we will pay, if there are none – there is no salary. This can be compared to a war in which any outcome is possible. Let’s see how events develop further. If we don’t meet halfway, then going to court is inevitable,” he explained.