Euroleague : Coach Ergin Ataman to leave Anadolu Efes

During the conference after the last game against Monaco, Turkish coach Ergin Ataman hinted that he should leave Anadolu Efes at the end of the season.

Double European champion in title, the club of Istanbul did not manage this time to qualify for the playoffs.

“After making history in European basketball for four years, this year we failed, and as the coach of the team, I am responsible for this failure,” he said. We are going through a sensitive period, that’s why I make sensitive statements. At the end of the season, we will decide with the president of Efes if I will stay. We have not made a clear decision. We are exhausted this year. At the end of the season, a change may be necessary for everyone. That will be decided. I have not only been a coach at Efes, I have been with the team for 20 years. We are like a family and Efes will continue to be my family even if I leave. I left in the past and came back After winning the Euroleague twice, I received offers from teams in the competition. Now we have to focus on the national championship. Another Turkish team, Fenerbahce, is on the way and I hope they will do what we did the last two years and win the title.”

Ergin Ataman recalled his record at the head of Efes :

“When I took over in the 2017-18 season, the team was last in the Euroleague and attracted 2,500 to 3,000 people. In those five years, we played almost every game in a packed Sinan Erdem. We became the most prominent team in Europe and the one that everyone likes. We became the pride of Istanbul. As I said, we will see what happens. This year we did not succeed, but there are many people who appreciate what we have done in the history of sport. I want to thank the people who applauded me at the beginning and at the end of the game. I wish all sportsmen to have such a chance. Nonetheless, it looks like the journey is coming to an end.”

Photo : Euroleague