By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Contracted through the 2024-25 season, Sasa Obradovic has been officially set to continue as the AS Monaco head coach.
Countering recent reports involving the possible hiring of Xavi Pascual, general manager Oleksiy Yefimov instead stressed that ‘there was never the slightest doubt’ about keeping the Serbian tactician.
“I don’t know why Sasa was so worried,” Yefimov told BeBasket commenting on Obradovic questioning his future in a recent interview with Mozzart Sport, “He was already under contract.”
“Sasa will stay. There was never the slightest doubt,” added the 37-year-old Ukrainian.
Obradovic, 54, rejoined La Roca Team for a second spell midway through the 2021-22 season. The first stint lasted down the stretch of the 2019-20 season. In the most recent campaign, his play-calling efforts guided Monaco to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four and Betclic Elite LNB Pro A championship, both firsts in team history.
Adding to the fuel and attached reports on the head-coaching job, the Monaco boss challenged missing the Coach of the Year award in France following the third-place game of the EuroLeague Final Four. Earlier in the season, he kissed the logo of his former team, both as a player and coach, before tipoff in his side’s visit to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet.
Pascual, 50, initially reported to be part of the plan for Monaco, is now expected to remain the head coach at Zenit. The Spanish tactician has been in charge of the Saint Petersburg outfit since the start of the 2020-21 season.