By Yiannis Bouranis/ info@eurohoops.net
A few days before the opening game in the Euroleague against Panathinaikos, Giorgos Bartzokas talks for the first time ever about his departure from Olympiacos! The Greek coach refers, among other things, to the preliminary contract he signed with Fenerbahce, and refuses to watch his former team even on television.
Here is what Giorgos Bartzokas said on the Greek newspaper “NEA”:
“I don’t watch Olympiacos even on TV”!
“Yes, neither in Euroleague’s final nor the championship’s one. It was a conscious choice. That night after we were eliminated by Panathinaikos, the entire team was attacked by fans on our way back to Piece and Friendship Stadium. At that point I said “enough is enough”, I took full responsibility and resigned. The whole situation had a negative impact on me, both on the court and at home as well. I had a very difficult time, even financially.”
The preliminary contract with Fenerbahce
“It would be easy for me to leave the team, having won the Euroleague, as the team started the season with many new players and a big punishment (-2 points on the table and many games without fans). But, I always act based on emotion. If I had joined Fenerbahce, my salary would be five times higher than the one I had in Olympiacos. I told them that my team, which also had the option to activate the second year of my contract, comes first. And they asked me to commit myself that Fenerbahce would be my first choice in case I left Olympiacos and that was what I did in writing. I don’t regret for making this choice and I am grateful to Panagiotis and Giorgos Aggelopoulos for everything.”
“Credit should be given to Sfairopoulos”
“We should give credit to coach Sfairopoulos, the players and the administration. I did nothing more than what I should have done as the squad’s head coach. I have no involvement at all on the team’s success last year and I really mean it.”