Maccabi Tel Aviv assistant coach Vasilis Iragotlis in an interview ahead of the Final Four: the players' difficulties in isolation and the attempt to help ("we had to get close to them") • the personal difficulty ("I was worried about the family's situation in Greece") • and the strong desire to win the championship Important from success in the Euroleague ")

• Iragotlis with Sapropolus. his right hand

  Photo: 

  Alan Shiver

Vasilis Iragotlis is the right hand of Yannis Sapropoulos, his senior assistant and one of the most important people in the professional system of Maccabi Tel Aviv. For the past two months, he has been in Israel without his family and, according to sources, spent most of the day on the field or watching a video of the team or the rival teams.

In an interview with "Israel Today" 24 hours before the Final Four final against Maccabi Rishon Lezion (Tuesday, 21:00), the Greek talks about the personal difficulty in recent times, the difficulties the players faced in isolation, the recent decline in ability and the strong desire to win the championship with the Yellows.

"It was a significant experience," says Yaragutlis, referring to the difficulties the players faced in isolation and trying to help them. "As coaches we have not faced such a situation before and we had no experience to deal with it. It was difficult for the players and they are not used to living like that. For training for so long, something like almost two months. 

"I think everyone did a lot to adapt to the situation because it was difficult for everyone but it's something we had to get closer to the players, talk to them a lot and make them understand the situation and get through these two months. We explained to them that we have to go through these difficulties not only in basketball. "But also in our lives. We had a lot of individual and group conversations and we tried to motivate them so that they would be as prepared as possible to play under these conditions."

And personally, it probably was not easy to be away from family.

"Yes, you are right. My family stayed in Greece and was not by my side. I was in the same situation as the players and I could only go to work. During the season there are difficulties and this is life. I had a hard time, but maybe a little easier than the players because of the situation. I was always worried about the medical condition. "In Greece and the situation now in Israel is not good either. That's why I told my family to stay in Greece to keep them healthy."

Professionally, Maccabi Tel Aviv has looked good since returning from the Corona, beating Hapoel Jerusalem twice and securing first place in the table at an early stage. But in the last two weeks something has changed and there has been a big setback in the Yellows' ability.

"In the playoff Hapoel Tel Aviv tried to outwit difficulties and they played in a very difficult way for us," Yragotlis tries to explain, "They forced us to leave our game and we were not one hundred percent ready for it. We did not play with concentration throughout the series, but in the last game our players did "A great effort and even though we were without Wilbkin and Sussman, everyone else gave their best. Even if the performance was not great, it was an amazing victory and perhaps the biggest victory of the season."

In what situation do you reach the final?

"It is very important to be mentally prepared. We know that physically there is a long and busy season, so now the most important thing is to be mentally strong and know how to overcome the problems that have been throughout the season. I am sure we will get through it because we have a strong team of mentally strong players. "It happens many times during the Euroleague season before the Corona. I'm sure it will happen in the final as well."

In the last two games after the Corona break, you lost to Rishon LeZion, how do you see the match-up in the final?

"Listen, Maccabi Rishon is a very good and balanced team. They can play outside and inside, and run the field excellently. But it's a new game. Playing in the Final Four is unique and unlike a game in a regular season. The teams have to be focused and stick to the game. "I think it's also very important who is mentally strong and ready for a tough game like this. I think it's most important, who is mentally ready for the last game of the season."

How important is it for you as coaches to personally win the championship with Maccabi?

"Friend, it is a blessing to be in a team like Maccabi and to be in a team where you can win such titles. This is a great opportunity for us to win this title and it will be something great for us for the whole career if we win this championship. Also for fans and all Maccabi. We had a similar situation in Greece. "How important it is for a large organization to win the championship. Olympiacos and Maccabi are similar in this context. We understand the importance of success in the local arena, and sometimes it is even more important than success in the Euroleague. We want to bring joy to everyone and certainly to us personally."