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Yasu Manzaris: Eilat's New Coordinator Aims High Israel today

2021-10-20T06:35:20.563Z


At the age of 31, after eight years at Olympiacos and two Euroleague victories, Anglis Manzaris landed in Eilat: "I was looking for a place to enjoy it" • On the proposals from Panathinaikos, the scandals in Greece and the connection with Sapropolos


If Angelis Mancaris had landed in Israel two years ago, Israeli basketball would probably have shaken.

For eight years the Greek coordinator at Olympiacos and was one of its good and stable players, who also won the Euroleague twice.

In 2019 he moved to Kazan, from where he continued to Prometheus and Priestri and started this season with the Polish Stal Ostrov, but did not manage and signed last month with Hapoel Eilat, which aims high in both the league and the European Cup.

"I am happy with my decision to come to Eilat," Mancaris told Israel Today in a first and special interview since arriving in Israel.

"I love the coach and the team and the chemistry in the team. If we work together we can do beautiful things."

How many Israeli teams have tried to bring you in recent years, what happened that you decided to come now and specifically to Hapoel Eilat?

"True. There was an offer from Jerusalem last year, but because the Corona did not work out. And there were also a few other teams that checked before but did not give a contract. This year I came because I think it is the best team, the best coach and the best city for my career. It is the best choice "Most of all I had. For example in Poland there was good basketball but I did not enjoy it at all and there was terrible weather. I also wanted to have fun and not just play. In the Euroleague you only play forever, but I am at a stage in my career where I play to have fun."

You have played for many great coaches during your career, what is special about coach Ariel Beit Halachmi?

"I love him very much. He knows how to pass on his knowledge to the players and you understand what he wants from you. He is one of the best I have met. He trusts his players very much and gives a feeling of confidence and freedom to play your game."

As a player who has won many titles during his career, how do you see the chances of Eilat reaching far in the European Cup this year?

"We have a great team, but in a long season there is a lot of travel and it's tiring, especially with us because we go on flights through Tel Aviv. When you play so many games at so many time intervals it's tiring, especially in winter I believe we will have a hard time. "The European Cup is at a much higher level than last year and previous years, there are many very good teams like Zaragoza and others." 

Mancaris grew up in Priestri and in 2011 signed for Olympiacos in its ranks and played until 2019. Like almost every senior Greek player, he too was involved in several affair that aroused much interest, especially those related to the great rival Panathinaikos. 

In one case, a picture of him and his girlfriend was published in the stands of Pau fans in the Final Four of the Euroleague in Barcelona, ​​where the Greens defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final. Some people in Greece previously claimed that it was Photoshop. To the other side of the city, and of course remember the case where Mansaris and his teammates left the pitch in the middle of the Cup semi-final against Pau due to serious complaints against the referees.

How many times have you been close to signing for Panathinaikos?

"There were two times they wanted me very much. Six years ago they offered me 400,000 euros but Olympiacos did not agree and rejected the offer validly. In 2017, after we reached the Euroleague final with Olympiacos, they approached me again, but I did not want to leave the team that trusted me. "Always. I went to my husband Olympiacos who gave me what I wanted and there was no reason to leave so I stayed."

Greece has a big story around your picture of you being seen in the stands of Panathinaikos in the 2011 Euroleague Final Four.

Tell us what was there.

"That was when I was in the Priestri and I'll tell you the truth. I also talked to Panathinaikos and my agent told me let's go and hear what they want. He brought me Final Four tickets in Barcelona and I went and there were a lot of Panathinaikos fans in the stands. I bought the Final Four shirt and all that. "The story. Yes, it was me there, but it was and it is. After that I signed for Olympiacos and of course nothing like that has happened since." 

In 2019, you came off the field at half-time against Pau.

Tell us what exactly happened in the locker room and who told you not to play again.

"The referees killed us in this game. Also in this game they did not respect the team and our name. We went down to the locker room and we decided not to go back. The owners of the club asked that we not play again and we agreed with them." 

How did the players react?

"We are a group and we decided to support each other. Once the owners asked and we understood that we were not respected we decided we would not return."

And how did David react?

We know him here in Israel, he usually does not do such things.

"He wanted to keep playing but respected the decision of the team, the owner and the players and acted like us."

How is it that Greek basketball has a lot of good and smart coordinators?

"We grow into a basketball method that reads the game and understands it well. Good basketball is basketball that has a game reading. You have to see what happens on the court and that's how you read the game. That's what philosophy in Greece says and that's what the players show on the court. So the result is what you talked about. About him. "

The Greek teams and the Greek players also have a very strong mentality, character of winners.

Where does it come from?

"When you play at a high level for many years you strive for war and the ability to win. At Olympiacos you must defeat everyone and everywhere, it builds you and gives you a strong mentality. Otherwise you can not be at the high level. Panathinaikos and Olympiacos are not so good lately but they have many successes and there They have the character of Euroleague teams.

So no matter what budget they have, they are fighting against everyone.

We have a lot of players who went through a lot of things, because without it they could not have succeeded under pressure from big teams in Greece, and that also affects the others who play next to them. "

Do you remember the moment of Yorgos Printzis' victory shot against CSKA in the 2012 Euroleague final?

"It's a moment I'll never forget because it's my bachelor's degree with Olympiacos. I have a blackout from there. I do not remember anything from those moments and I have no idea what I did in those seconds. Like I was somewhere else and not on the field. I just remember we celebrated like crazy." 

Yannis Sapropoulos, Photo: Udi Citiat,

There are also many good coaches in Greece, and some of them have come to Israel in recent years.

"It has to do with what I said earlier about reading the game. Greek coaches know how to read situations and it is important because there are coaches who know how to prepare teams in training and there are coaches who know how to read the game. I think Greeks know how to do both so they are very successful in Europe. Sapropolus in Maccabi, Itodis in CSKA, Bratzokas in Olympiacos and Priptis in Panathinaikos.

It is a number that speaks for itself. " 

How do you see the work of Sapropolos at Maccabi Tel Aviv?

She was in a big crisis before he came.

"Since Sapropoulos came to Maccabi he has turned them into a winning team. Maccabi always has a lot of talent on the staff, but they did not have discipline and Sapropoulos brought it with him. He brought mental toughness and that is what makes the difference for them."

You also played for David Blatt.

What is special about him as a coach?

"Blatt is the best guy there is, he's like a friend, not just a coach. The most fun is talking to him about everything and consulting with him. He doesn't believe there is a coach and there are players, but all together that's why he was so successful in his career. I don't think there are many more coaches. Who know how to talk to their players like David. " 

He has been successful almost everywhere he has coached, both in Europe and in the NBA.

But at Olympiacos he was less successful.

"He came at a time when there was a bad time at Olympiacos. There is a lot of pressure there and it is not easy to put your style there. He is a very good coach but he is not Greek and with us it is different from Israel, the USA or even from the rest of Europe.

We perceive the game differently and there is a different mentality.

He came and tried to bring his mentality and I think that confused the team.

Greek teams read the game and keep tight but Blatt likes to bring in talented Americans and bring his philosophy with fast and athletic play.

"The Greeks did not quite understand what was going on and did not feel comfortable. If he had more time I am sure the team would have been great. I hope he is fine now because I heard he is ill and I wish him only good."

Are you also thinking of becoming a future coach?

"You never know. I think maybe later, I'll play until about age 35 and then I'll think about it. I want to relax and rest and then we'll decide. Why not."

You have been at the top of European basketball for eight years and one of the most stable and valued coordinators in the Euroleague, but in the last two years you have been playing in smaller teams, when you are only 31. What is the reason?

"I left Olympiacos because I wanted something new. Before Blatt's time he played 35 minutes in the game, but I did not play much with him. It was fine. I was not angry and I love him and we also had good conversations, but in terms of basketball it did not suit me. I did not want to stay. At Olympiacos because I wanted to play. I moved to Kazan and then came to Prometheus.

There was a good name and I was happy there, but then the corona came and everything stopped.

After that I waited for an offer from the Euroleague and it did not arrive so I went back to Prometheus who played in the EuroCup.

I had three great months and I felt good, but we did not continue in the EuroCup and I did not want to stay and play only one game a week.

Priestry offered me a contract and I moved.

In the summer I signed in Poland, I did not get along there and now I am in Eilat and I am happy about it.

"Things happen for a reason."

Can you still return to big teams in Europe?

"I'm not looking for big teams, it's not what I'm looking for at this point, I want to play as much as possible and in big teams you do less, in small teams you have to give more."

Aside from basketball, I read yours and your brother have cafes in Priestry. 

Right.

My family has given me a lot in life, and it's one of my ways to give back to them.

We have two cafes and they are successful.

We have nice places and also good coffee.

That's my way of giving back to them. "

Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2021-10-20

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