By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
“First of all I want to say I’m very happy to be European champion,” said Obradovic. “But I’m more happy for Fenerbahce because they won the Euroleague for the first time in history.”
“I want to say thanks to our president Aziz Yilidirm that gave opportunity to everybody to big part of this club. The board members and everyone who trusts me to do what i believe is good.”
“Everybody is in the same page. What it takes to win the title is the work of everybody who are in the club. People from the front office. My staff. Everyone has a big contribution to the title.”
“But all the glory goes to my players that played an excellent Final Four. First against Real madrid and tonight vs Olympiacos except the second quarter.”
“Every corner in the city has the atmosphere we had tonight. Istanbul is a basktball city an d Fenerbahce has millions of fans. The connection we have with our people is something special. I want to thank to them because a big club doesnt exist without fans.
“All these days there was a special atmosphere in the Final Four. I want to congratulate Olympiacos for the season they had. They are a great organization, as I said before the Final. They deserve to be here, they know how to play in a Final Four.”
“I spent almost night after the semifinal to prepare for this game and for how to play vs Olympiacos.”
“Tonight we will be celebrating,, I said to my players that they deserve this but we have playoffs in the Turkish league and not so many time to recover. However we must recover because we are the defending champs.”
Regarding the fact that Pero Antic wasn’t used in the semifinal, Obradovic said: “This is something a coach does. Before we went on the court, the last thing I said was ‘Guys. This is the Final. Nothing will make me more happy than to give you opportunity to complain.”
“Sometimes it’s difficult. I’d be happy to share time for everybody. But I decided on how to use it. You must live the game to understand what is better for the team.”
On the importance of the Final Four being held in Istanbul, he said, “You have the wish to win the title in any Final Four. And it’s special for Fenerbahce to win the title for the first time in history.”
“Next year the Final Four will be in my country, Serbia and my city, Belgrade. I’ll try to prepare everyone to be in the Final Four in Belgrade.”
On Ekpe Udoh, the Final Four MVP: “He deserves to be the MVP in the FInal Four. The ranking he had in today’s game and the semifinal combined is something rare to see in a Final Four. 68. Ekpe is not interested to score but basketball is a game that many things depend on the opponent.”
“In the 25 years I coach… I don’t remember many players having the concentration Ekpe has.”
On how special this title is. “After a year full of hard work you remember all the difficult moments you have. I’ll repeat something I said after Baskonia when they beat us with 36 points. We played at 11 o’ clock so everybody was sleepy when we came back in the hotel.”
“Our president is coming and he talks about the game. I told him everything is fine. If you don’t have that confidence from our club president i’ts not easy. As I said… all glory to the players.”
Regarding the opportunity to focus on developing young Turkish players now that the EuroLeague title goal is reached: “It’s true. I came over here because the ambition the club had for such a big goal. I don’t know how many times I’ve explained this: I don’t watch passports. I watch players. How they play, how many hours they spent on the ccourt. There are players that will be important in the future but it depends on them. I’m hungry, very hungry. I go to work from 9 o’ clock to night. It’s not important if someone is American, Serbian, Turkish. Every player who works has my support.”
Zeljko Obradovic concluded by saying: “Before the beginning of the season people tried to put pressure on our shoulders because the Final Four is in Istanbul. I said that nobody can put more pressure on myself than the pressure I put on myself. I’m very happy that Fener is a club recognized among the best teams. Today, we are the best team in Europe. Because we are champions. In the last three years no other team had the results we had. One Final Four, one final, one title. I feel pressure every morning going to practice. How do I feel now? I will continue to do my job.”
“The first time I begin to feel a little different I will stop. And go to do the other things I do in life.”