Gudok correspondent Nadezhda Gushchina spoke with the Loko head coach about his life in Krasnodar, his team’s play and whether or not emotions can be a distraction in the world of pro sports. Obradovic gave very interesting answers, noting that he never stops working.
– Sasha, is this is your favorite spot in the city (editor’s note: The conversation was held in the Lyubo Cafe at the Krasnaya Ploshchad shopping mall)?
– Oh, that’s tough to judge. This mall is just close to the Basket Hall where we play. I’ve been in Krasnodar for about a month, but haven’t been on any of the main streets yet. There’s a lot of work, no time. I’ve gone to a Serbian restaurant twice–they have really good food there, by the way–but that’s all I’ve seen of Krasnodar so far. It’s not a big deal, though. There’s time to make up for it.
– It’s not surprising you haven’t had time to see the city. You joined Lokomotiv during the course of the season, so you’ve had to work at a feverish pace. Was it hard to take over the team?
– Of course. Especially since I’ve never taken over a team in the middle of the season. The former coach had his own philosophy and players. That why both I and the guys had to do everything possible to adapt to one another. Some of the players might not completely fit with my system yet, but I can tell they are ready to work and I’ve noticed definite improvement. But it’s still too early to make any sweeping judgments.
– Nonetheless, Loko’s winning percentage has been very high with you in charge. One of your players told me: “I don’t know what Obradovic is doing with us, but it seems obvious that he’s the coach we needed.” Maybe as someone who’s won a lot of titles as a player and coach, you try to instill a winner’s mentality in your players?
– It’s nice to hear that the guys think that about me. Of course, as a player I was used to working with the best coaches and was on a championship-winning team. That always motivated me to set high standards and work my hardest. Obviously, you can’t have 12 player-champions on one team and I’m also learning how to work alongside them. A lot of people see me yell at the players during games, but no one knows about the work that goes on behind the scenes. I talk a lot with the guys and try to explain things to them…
As for our recent success, I wouldn’t get too excited about it. Any team goes through rough patches. We’re all human beings. The travel alone wears us down. I agree that when you win, you gain confidence. But nothing is ever perfect. Both in the game and on the roster, you’re always missing something. For example, Taylor Rochestie is injured right now. Kenny Gabriel left the team. We need at least one more player as a result.
– Why did Gabriel leave?
– Kenny didn’t fit in with the system, even before I arrived, and I also think we needed a somewhat different player. Gabriel is a very small forward. Plus, he wasn’t focused on defense at all. We need a more physical player. There are a lot of guys on our team who can shoot from outside, but I’d like them to work closer to the basket more of the time. We are working on that.
– Loko’s goal is returning to the Euroleague, either by winning the Eurocup or reaching the VTB United League finals. Are you capable of reaching that goal?
– I wouldn’t look so far ahead. Right now, I want to concentrate on our work. It’s too hard to look ahead to March, April, or especially June. At a certain point, our expectations can increase, of course, but what if someone gets injured? Then expectations will plummet. As a player and as a coach, I’m used to working at big clubs that wanted to accomplish big things. I’m used to working under pressure. Loko is one of those teams. But the positive things happening with the team right now do give me some confidence in the future and instill optimism.
– You’re a very emotional person. Does that quality hinder or help you in your work?
– I’ve been a coach for 12 years. At the very beginning of my career, I was even more emotional. When I noticed my players making mistakes, I always jumped. I’m a person who’s very used to strict discipline and it really bothered me at first. The fact that I’m so emotional probably gives people another reason to criticize me. Nonetheless, in my 12 years of coaching, I’ve become wiser and learned to control myself by about 20%. I understand that you can’t solve everything by taking it so personally.
– What helps you relax after games?
– I don’t have time to relax. I’m a coach 24 hours a day, especially when we have game after game, like at Loko. When the season is over, the work doesn’t end either. I need to scout players and form a team. But I love my work, so I don’t complain. Of course, you need to find a balance between work and personal life. I think that my family misses me a lot, especially my son Rastko and daughter Anya. But their mom, my spouse, does a great job raising them. They live in Berlin, but they are here now to visit me in Krasnodar. Working out and a good dinner at a nice restaurant helps relieve stress. I try to keep myself in shape and always watch what I’m eating.
Source: Lokomotiv-Kuban website
