Fenerbahce, Zeljko Obradovic officially part ways

By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net

Fenerbahce Beko announced that the club parted ways with coach Zeljko Obradovic. The announcement mentions that Obradovic, the most decorated coach in the history of European basketball with nine EuroLeague titles, will take a one-year break from coaching.

Obradovic and Fenerbahce president Ali Koc plus Vice President and responsible for the club’s basketball department Semih Ozsoy had a couple of meetings and conversations last week in Istanbul. before the coach returned to Serbia on Friday. He wanted to first discuss the situation with his family before making a final decision.

“We agreed that I take a few days in a family atmosphere back in Belgrade to decide in calm. I took one of the hardest decisions in my life with my family and I decided to take a one-year break from coaching,” Obradovic said in a statement that was published on Fenerbahce’s website. Koc said he hopes Obradovic will stay with the team for “as long as he wants” despite a planned budget reduction for the 2020-2021 season.

The departure of Obradovic from Fenerbahce marks an end of an era for the Turkish club. Under the Serbian coach, Fener rose to prominence in the European stage and its status became that of a powerhouse. In 2017, the team won the first EuroLeague title in the history of Turkish basketball in the Final Four held in Istanbul, after having its debut in the tournament in 2015 and making its maiden appearance in a championship game in 2016.

Since 2013, when he became head coach of Fenerbahce, Obradovic steered the team towards winning also four Turkish League championship titles (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018), three Cup titles (2016, 2019, 2020) and three Presidential Cup trophies (2016, 2013, 2016, 2019). Fener was a Final Four constant since 2015.

“A big thanks to all my players who I worked with during the last seven years. They are the most important ones who performed for those outstanding results,” Obradovic also said while also thanking various former and current members of the club’s management. “It was an honor and pleasure to be a member of a big club like Fenerbahce. This is a new beginning for Fener and not the end and I’m sure the fans will continue to support the club and that they will celebrate again great sport moments like we did before.”
Obradovic had also taken a one-year break when he parted ways with Panathinaikos Athens in 2012 after 13 years and five EuroLeague titles with the team.
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