By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Speaking to SDNA and long-time confidant Greek journalist Sotiris Vetakis, Obradovic was more than open about the upcoming match up: “The truth is that it is one of the things in life that you expect to happen, sooner or later. Since the time I joined Fenerbahce, it was obvious that this day will come. I have visited the Olympic Stadium of Athens four times and now it’s the time to face them at the play offs. In the future, this will happen at a Final-Four, maybe a Euroleague final as well. It is never pleasant playing against Panathinaikos, but that’s life, that’s basketball. I think that everybody knows well my feelings about Panathinaikos and this is something that it will never change. You can not forget so many moments, drop 13 whole years of your life. It will be special series, with the home advantage for Panathinaikos BC and they really deserve it”.
With the talk in Athens being how the fans will react towards Obradovic in this match up, the Serb coach was quite clear about his mindset: “I think that it is funny, really funny to speak about the possibility of changing my relationship with Panathinaikos and their fans because of these games. This will never happen, never ever, the meaning of Panathinaikos in my heart and soul will never change. My relationship and feelings for this club will remain the same, no matter what. Still, I am a professional and I will do my best in order for my current team to win and qualify, the same as I was doing for 13 seasons in Greece. If someone wants to change his feelings because of these matches, he has the right to do it.
I know well what a piece of my heart Panathinaikos is and I also know well what is happening with the supporters of the team every time I visit Greece.
I was at Panathinaikos for 13 years, with some incredible memories from that time, and I am currently four seasons with Fenerbahce. I know that this kind of matches are full of feelings, I have lived it before. I know well the background, but the return of Panathinaikos to the Final-Four for the first time since my era (2011-12) is not related to me any more. I gave everything I had to the club at these 13 unforgettable years and there is nothing else I can do. They belong to the History and they will stay there”.
Speaking about Fenerbahce, Obradovic believes that no matter what, the point is that Fenerbahce already changed its status under him: “I am not interested in people’s opinion about the budget of my teams, this is an old story that they are keep telling and telling me for many years but it is not really important to me. The public opinion has the right to judge me and to think anything they want about me, I have other standards that are more important for me. Such as, the opinion of my club’s administration, the supporters and the athletes. I want them to feel and recognize that we are fighting for the best result. The opinion of the others about my budget, this is something that I never think of. I want to explain that to you with an example. On Friday, we were losing at halftime against Gaziantepspor with 24 points at the halftime. We came out the locker rooms and the fans were cheering the players and me. You know what that means? That they are trusting us and know that we are giving our best for the team. In order to judge someone, you have to examine his story from the beginning till the end.
Fenerbahce had 2.500 spectators at their Euroleague games and currently more than 11.000. They had never reached the Final-Four and we did it twice, while we will also fight four our third consecutive presence there.
Generally, I believe that the club has improved its level and is considered to be among the best in Europe nowadays. I believe that my team is in good shape, all the players are healthy even if some of them missed some games or trainings. I believe that we are ready to present a solid match plan and fight for the qualification. Still, the statistics are not important at all, they are for the journalists only, not for me”.