By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Andrea Trinchieri arrived in Thessaloniki and was presented by PAOK, which he will take over in the summer.
As he explained, he has confidence in coach Pantelis Boutskos, who was promoted to interim head coach, replacing Jure Zdovc, since he knows the team better.
Why did he say “yes” to PAOK’s offer? The answer is simple: he is excited by the team, its fans, and the project.
“Getting 100 years of history is not something you buy in a supermarket,” said the 58-year-old Italian coach, who gave in relatively easily to the pressure from Nikos Vezyrtzis (president) and Nikos Boudouris (GM). “The two Nikos played full-court press on me. It was two against one. My father, who is no longer alive, used to tell me to go where you are truly wanted”.
A return to the EuroLeague – PAOK’s last appearance was in 2001 – is the big goal. “I’m a bit romantic. I like these kinds of challenges. I like to see something blossom and grow. I believe this is an opportunity to enjoy the journey every day. In this EuroLeague, you basically do one thing: You play, you go home, you travel, you play again. The schedule is incredibly demanding. Of course, PAOK wants to play there. How? That’s up to us. It’s a challenge, and I’m a bit crazy, tralala. I like it. It’s the fuel in your tank, what pushes you to reach your limits.”