By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos Piraeus coach Giorgos Bartzokas was asked to comment on the aftermath of the recent derby against Panathinaikos Athens following the several social media posts that Greens owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos made against him.
Giannakopoulos made several Instagram posts condemning Bartzokas for his behavior in the game, to which Olympiacos responded with an announcement. This brought a statement by Panathinaikos as well.
“If I see things a bit detached, I’d say that it honors me in a way,” Bartzokas said in the post-game presser.” Obviously, Mr. Giannakopoulos and those who write according to what Mr. Giannakopoulos says are very eager to see me leave Olympiacos. So this honors me. They believe that I’m doing something good with the team. That’s the way I see it. I’ve approached it with humor several times, like when I said that I’m tall but small as a person. I don’t have social media – they are sending me these. I thought that I was one of those people that Giannakopoulos has been targeting and attacking.”
“Regarding my relationships with opponents, I have no doubt that I’ve been the way I should be,” Bartzokas added. “Including the eight coaches that Mr. Giannakopoulos has changed during my second stint with Olympiacos. You can ask all of them, one by one, if I’ve respected them and treated them not only professionally but also warmly, as well as about our relationship now that they aren’t with Panathinaikos.”
“Every time I go to OAKA, those sitting in the court seats may curse at me that my kid should die, they say the worst for my dead mother, and they wish that I get cancer,” Bartzokas also mentioned. “These are the “softer” comments. At the same time, everyone takes a video of it. If I don’t answer, the put it on social media. If I answer, they use it for propaganda. That’s the situation. Sometimes I answer.”
In the meantime, Giannakopoulos added a video on his Instagram story, saying: “So you are a little liar as well, right? For which dark people who work secretly where you talking about last year? Who do you mean? I was always saying how much I appreciate you, at least your work. And you talked about me, talking about dark people who work secretly, meaning me. I’ve never started something. But when others do start, I know how to respond well.”
The Union of Greek Basketball Coaches announced their support of Bartzokas, saying that “Insults and accusations against people via social media and announcements aren’t a solution and don’t help the sport. On the contrary, they intensify disagreements and pour more oil on the fire.”