A National Men’s Basketball Team and Anadolu Efes Head Coach Ergin Ataman broke his silence. Speaking about Ömer Faruk Yurtseven’s absence from the national team, his goals in Galatasaray and Zeljko Obradovic, Ergin Ataman made striking statements.
Experienced coach of Anadolu Efes and the National Men’s Basketball Team, Ergin Ataman, answered the questions. Explaining the process of Ömer Faruk Yurtseven not participating in the A National Men’s Basketball Team camp, Ergin Ataman explained how he would accept the young basketball player to the national team again. Speaking to Vole, Ergin Ataman used striking expressions about the presidential dream in Galatasaray.
“DON’T COME ON OUR PHONES”
Describing what happened after he learned that Ömer Faruk Yurtseven would not attend the A National Men’s Basketball Team camp, Ergin Ataman said, “We were very surprised, frankly, because he was in very good communication with the team before the Great Britain match. While we were waiting for other players, the news came that he would not attend. We tried to reach him, but we could not reach him. He didn’t get on our calls. He always put his manager forward. Ömer Faruk Yurtseven may be tired, but when there is such an important opportunity, it was a great loss for him not to show himself in this tournament, while NBA players play in every team. Ömer Faruk was a very important part of this team. Yurtseven. Ömer Faruk Yurtseven was a type of player out of our control, and we thought we needed him badly when we were planning. Suddenly we came across such a situation. He called TBF President Hidayet Türkoğlu the day before the camp would start. a national team. practices always come to the fore. People in Turkey make great sacrifices to protect the Turkish Flag. We did not want too different things from our players. They would only do this for Turkey. They would do it to make the Turkish people happy. It is perfectly natural for an American manager not to have these feelings. I hope that some important sanctions regarding that manager will be made by the TBF and the ministry. We only have moral sanction for a player playing in the NBA. The managers of these players are the managers who make money here. I think that such managers should be prevented from doing business in Turkey. The manager doesn’t care about the Turkish National Team. He will not only think of the commission he will get from the NBA team, but also that they will lose here. If he were a confident player, he would say to his manager, ‘Wait a minute! This is the National Team, instead of saying ‘I will show myself’, he will do weight training in Miami. Apart from that, if there is a problem or problem, it appears this way in the statements we receive. I’m not in favor of completely deleting or losing this player, but we should be able to bring it to emotions. The Turkish community around him should be able to put this pressure on him.”
“HE SHOULD GO OUT AND APPRECIATE”
Asked if there will be any sanctions regarding Ömer Faruk Yurtseven, Ergin Ataman said, “First of all, he has to apologize to Turkey and the Turkish society. This excuse is not a valid excuse. This is for Furkan Korkmaz and for Alperen Şengün. It’s also important. I’m tired too. I’ve played 85 games in a row. Why am I taking risks? My players are taking risks. A player like Shane Larkin is happily playing in the Turkish National Team. He should come out and apologize. If Ömer Faruk expresses his regret, we’ll see his performance. “If he shows a good performance, we will include him in the squad. He also played in the England game and contributed seriously. We couldn’t make contact, I am angry with him about that. Mehmet Okur is responsible for NBA players. You will contact him, otherwise there is no such thing. You Turkish National Team” “You can’t do this to him. Your manager talks to the club team. Your American manager doesn’t care about the world.”
Ergin Ataman, citing the example of other NBA players coming to the tournament, said, “You have already played 5-10 minutes in the NBA. Come and improve yourself here. I am not angry with Ömer Faruk Yurtseven, but I am offended.”
“NBA IS A DIFFERENT WORLD”
After counting his successes in Europe on the basis of clubs, Ergin Ataman answered the question about his NBA target. Ergin Ataman, who has previously stated that he has an NBA goal, said, “It is decreasing because the NBA is a different world. The perspective of basketball coaches in Europe is very different in the NBA. No coach has ever gone from Europe to the NBA as a head coach. I had contact with the team. What they always said was, ‘You have to come here first, you have to be an assistant coach.’ We’ll sit down and talk later,” he said.
“GALATASARAY FANS WANT THIS”
The experienced head coach gave the following answer to the question “Will Ergin Ataman return to Galatasaray as a coach one day”:
“As a coach, it is very difficult. As a professional coach, I can’t say ‘no’ to this. Just as I can evaluate an offer from the NBA one day, I can also consider an offer from Galatasaray. Galatasaray Club has progress in basketball. Last year a fuse has burned, now it needs to go forward. Galatasaray will throw it to the Eurolegue side as soon as possible. Galatasaray fans are used to it from past years. Galatasaray fans want this, they want to be in a high-level basketball league. When we won the EuroCup in 2016 There was a project for a hall with 10 thousand people together with our president at that time, Dursun Özbek. Our President asked me, ‘Is this hall enough, Hodja?’ I said, ‘It is not enough,’ Mr. President. It’s ready, we’re starting the construction.” thing. Galatasaray needs this. Who is Galatasaray’s biggest rival in Turkey? Fenerbahce . Fenerbahçe has become a brand in basketball in the last 10 years. He established a basketball sanctuary there. Galatasaray did not do this, could not. There are economic problems at the heart of the matter, but if the Fenerbahce community has found a big sponsor, we should build that hall there. As Galatasaray, we had to build a home. I don’t know if I will return as Ergin Ataman as a coach. Galatasaray now has a good coach. I hope it will be successful in Europe as well. It’s clear where I’m at right now. I’ve reached the highest level of team level. As I always say, I am a sportsman from Galatasaray. I support Galatasaray in every branch.”
“THE PRESIDENT’S TARGET WAS NOT HUMOR”
Ergin Ataman, speaking about the presidential goal at Galatasaray, said, “I am a member of the Congress, it is my 6th year. It is 10 years, 4 years left. The picture I saw in the last general assembly has turned into a seat fight of the groups outside of Galatasaray. Not to release, to have groupings, to have events. and the desire of a club with a huge 20 million fans to be controlled by a certain group does not quite match the big Galatasaray structure in my dreams. Today there is a very large silent majority. Frankly, this general assembly understanding will not be behind me when I set out for the presidency 4 years later. I’ve reached a very important point in European basketball. Staying even higher in my own profession and representing Turkey… It wasn’t a joke when I said this in the past. When I thought about it, my friends who were members of the general assembly were pushed. I am a person who does not hesitate about anything. What will happen in the future? We’ll see. There are still 4 years, until then, let’s see,” he said.
“I’M BROKEN WITH THIS”
Describing the conversation he had with Dursun Özbek before the presidential election in Galatasaray, Ergin Ataman said, “When I left Galatasaray in 2016 during Dursun Özbek’s term, my contract expired and my contract was not renewed. I was not sent at that time. I was offended by him because the very important promises made were not kept. Euroleague He was kind enough to congratulate me after I became the champion. We talked, we broke the ice. We had a nice conversation. Later, we met once again, we talked face to face. It was a week before the presidential election, I said to him, ‘The presidency is coming to you again.’ We will see. My teacher said humorously, “Let the President do another 4 years, I’m coming after 4 years anyway.” I saw the president’s face a little sullen. He said, “Oh my teacher, are you going to come out like a presidential candidate like Fatih Terim?” I was offended by this. For example, I would infer, as a member of the general assembly, I can think of the presidency. I was most upset about it. There, too, I realized that a part of Galatasaray is very tight-knit to keep us out. I won’t go there until that structure changes,” he said.
“HE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO ME”
Asked “Do you miss Zeljko Obradovic”, Ergin Ataman replied, “We are seeing each other. We talk when I go to Belgrade. When we become champions, Obradovic calls immediately to congratulate me. He has helped me a lot. Competing with him has developed me immensely. Obradovic is the most important player in European basketball. coach. He is a personality that I like and respect very much in his personality.”
