By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The former head coach of FC Barcelona, Roger Grimau did not fully enjoy the last season.
Grimau, 46, discussed spending the 2023-24 campaign at the helm of the Catalonia giant in an interview with RAC1 and Catalunya Radio, relayed by multiple Spanish outlets.
“I am sure there are many things that could have been better, but I do not think the season was a disaster,” he noted.
“I was confident I would continue,” he referred to signing a two-year contract last summer, “A week passed after the season ended without any talks about the future. I had a feeling they wanted a change in direction. And I did not want to ask any more questions.”
Under his guidance, Barca reached the Playoffs of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as the fourth seed behind a 22-12 W-L tally in the Regular Season and went the distance opposite Olympiacos but fell in Game 5 of a best-of-five series. In Spain’s Liga Endesa, a sweep to archrival Real Madrid ended the season in the Semifinals of the ACB Playoffs.
“I think I have been disrespected a lot since day one,” he mentioned, “There were people who did not want me to succeed. At times, I was an easy target. But within the club, I felt comfortable until the end.”
After the exit, the former player is actively seeking the next challenge of his coaching career.
“Yes, I am on the market,” he stressed, “I am a coach and love basketball.”