By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda was looking for a coach, Pablo Laso was out of Real Madrid and as Zvezda president Nebojsa Covic said, the Serbian club tried to get the Spanish technician.
“We had the idea that Pablo Laso would take over the bench when we heard about the outcome with Real Madrid. When we established contact, we received an answer that his health situation does not allow him to come to Belgrade,” Covic said at the club’s assembly.
Covic also admitted that he didn’t expect Montenegrin Dejan Radonjic to leave for Panathinaikos: “We didn’t expect that the coach (Dejan Radonjic), whose contract expired on June 30, would leave. That’s why we issued a statement after five meetings during June when we assumed the direction it would all go. This is not the first time he has worked in Serbia since there was a story about the delay in payments. Then the search to find a new coach started, there is always a risk with foreign coaches, since there must be regular payments.”
Zvezda however is ready to put more money on the roster, as Covic stated: “As for the other reinforcements, we contacted Theo (Milos Teodosic), Bobi (Marjanovic), Bjelica and Raduljica. Teodosic has a contract with Virtus, Bjelica has decided for Fener, Bobby has one more year in the NBA, and there will be more contacts with Raduljica”.
And also, Covic hopes that Kalinic who used his opt-out clause but has not yet signed with anyone will return to Zvezda: “I still hope that Kalinic will stay. I had a couple of talks with him, there are chances he will extend his contract, with an increased offer, which may be even bigger than Barcelona. Virtus also appeared, everything should be finished in two or three of the day”.