Pini Gershon: If there is someone who can do the job better than me, then that’s ok

Pini Gershon

31-01-2008 01:30

Olympiacos head coach Pini Gershon:
"This is not an easy night for anybody in the team. It's something that we have to deal with. There was too much pressure on us, not only before, but also during the game, too. I think that some people were hoping us to lose tonight; they were organized to yell at us. We suffered too many unforced turnovers and bad shooting till halftime; 14 errors and 1-of-10 three-pointers, it’s really bad. We faced injuries again and I have to admit that we didn't practice and didn't prepare as well as we had for to do for this game. Basketball is a game of momentum; when we got the 7-point-lead, we sent Siena to the line for 5 times and they managed to come back. The main difference between the two teams tonight was the fact that Siena scored on open opportunities, while we had to face its aggressive defense on set offenses. That’s the reason we didn’t reach our standards on offense. Last year we were in the same situation. The fans were putting too much pressure to us. If they yell at us after a missed shot or a sub, they have to understand that they influence badly the players first and me after. I am here to take 100% of the responsibility. I always say that you pay the coach money to have somebody to blame in defeats. We have a great management and if they think that there is someone who can do the job better than me, then that’s ok. I am here to handle the situation."