Na tronu sa Željkom Obradovićem / On the trone with Željko Obradović
Kada se odmara od košarke, ako je to ikako moguće, vreme najradi- je provodi u rodnom Čačku. – Vremena nikada dovoljno za sve sa kojima želiš da se vidiš. Išao sam pre fajnal-fora do Čačka da obiđem majku koja tamo živi sama, video se sa rođacima i sa nekoliko prijatelja, uspeli smo malo da porazgova- ramo. Dva i po dana je dovoljno, preko toga bi bilo previše. Iako je pod obručima ostva- rio sve što je mogao, ipak ima još jedan san... – Da na nekom grčkom ostrvu otvorim bar na plaži. Imao je trideset jednu go-
makes me happy to watch how players pro- gress, I will continue doing it. When I feel like the energy and desire are not the same, I’ll say “thank you, goodbye” and start doing another job. He’s also targeting a tenth Euroleague crown, and why not – he has the full right. And what’s even better is that the 2018 Fi- nal-Four tournament will be played in Belgrade. - It’s too early to talk about that, but for me and everyone in Serbia that will provide great motivation, as well as setting the aim of qualifying for the final tournament. It’s been 25 years since Obradović first coached a final-four with Partizan in Istanbul, in the same city where he also led Fener to the top of Europe - Uh ... Much has passed, in 25 years of life a lot has happened and changed. Experience is the most dominant, working in so many teams, with so many players that I had the opportunity to learn from, to pro- gress as a coach, but also to be at the same level in term of the desire, ambition and attitude that holds me when I go to training a quarter of a century later. All of Željko’s players, both former and current, confirm what a great hon-
our it is to work with him and that he mo- tivates them incredibly with the energy he has and doesn’t spare... - That’s my job. Plain and simple, I love my job. I enjoy working with my players. When he takes a rest from basketball, if that’s at all possible, he most enjoys spend- ing time in his hometown of Čačak. - There’s never enough to see everyone you want to. Prior to this year’s Final-Four, I went to Čačak to visit my mother, who lives there alone, caught up with relatives and a few friends and we managed to talk a little. Two and a half days is enough – more than that would be too much. Although he’s achieved everything he could under the hoops, he still has anoth- er dream - to open a beach bar on some Greek island. He was 31 years old when it all began. After two and a half decades, he has arrived among the stars. He has actually been among them for a long time, only shining ever bright- er from year to year. And he became the big- gest Serbia has ever produced, Europe has ever met and the world will ever remember. If Europe has a basketball god, then that’s Željko Obradović; our Žoc, winner of nine Euroleague titles, 14 national titles and nu- merous cups ... An endless collection of tro- phies. And the end is still not in sight, no- where near!
Iako je pod obručima
Although he’s achieved everything he could under the hoops, he still has another dream - to open a beach bar on some Greek island ostvario sve što je mogao, ipak ima još jedan san – da na nekom grčkom ostrvu otvori bar na plaži
dinu kada je sve počelo. Posle dve i po decenije stigao je me- đu zvezde. Tamo je, zapravo, odavno, samo iz godine u go- dinu sve sjajnije sija. I postao je najveći kakvog je Srbija izro- dila, kakvog je Evropa upozna- la i kakvog će svet pamtiti. Ako Evropa ima košarkaškog boga, onda je to Željko Obradović. Naš Žoc, vlasnik devet Evroli- ga, 14 nacionalnih titula, broj- nih kupova... Nepregledna je niska trofeja. I ne nazire joj se kraj, ne još dugo.
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