“The favorites of the season are not CSKA, but Zenit and UNICS. But I’m not crying, but I want to beat them. Interview with Emil Rajkovic

Last season’s sad bronze medal suggests that CSKA will do everything they can to regain their status as the number one player in Russian basketball. However, the club’s financial situation suggests that these efforts will not be coupled with investments in the event of a hurricane. CSKA saves and rebuilds now. For them, the time is for intensive rather than extensive development.

From the interview you will learn:

– How did you spend your vacation?

— Tradition in Greek Halkidiki, in family. Three hours by car from my native Skopje, a nice place, we have a small house there.

Is it more difficult for you to come to Russia now?

– Yes, you need a transfer to Belgrade or Istanbul, ticket prices have increased, but what if you need it?

– Last week, CSKA played the first two control matches with Parma Perm, both won. What conclusions did you draw after these games?

The team is not ready yet. We started training only six days ago, Ware came back from vacation a few days later. First impressions: you have to work. I tend to think this year to build a game system focused on defense and combat. There are no more talents like Shved and Milutinov at CSKA, which means that other assets will have to be used: functional preparation and scoring through defence. Players who were there last year and stayed will now have to show something more. And take on more responsibility.

– Are the changes awaiting CSKA bigger than the usual pre-season ones?

This summer has been tough for us. We lost key players and failed to replace them with players with the same qualities, especially in attack. This is our current budget. Finding reinforcements in Russia is quite difficult, so we invited those who wanted to come to us. I have already said that the favorites of the season are not us, but other clubs. First of all, Zenit and UNICS, which have a group of famous masters. Our solution in such a situation is to build a fighting team willing to sacrifice for the outcome.

– What is the main problem for you this summer?

“First, to find foreigners capable, not potentially, but actually of helping us in the attack. Second, to create internal chemistry and creativity among people who have no practical teamwork. We are moving towards this step by step.

– CSKA were joined by Nigerian center Tony Jekiri, French striker Amat M’Bai and American point guard Melo Trimble. What are their advantages?

– Jekiri is a classic center with extensive Euroleague experience, he played for UNICS penultimate season. Tony has what it takes to be a starter. He defends well all over the pitch, last season he scored around 5 points per game at Fenerbahce. We expect much the same from him at CSKA knowing that more than 10 points for Jekiri is not a problem.

M’Bai plays at the fourth number position. Strong in contact, good dribbling and good shooting, I expect him to fit into the system we want to build. Melo Trimble is Casper Ware’s leading partner. Useful in scoring, spent last season in a Chinese club in Shanghai. They adhere to similar views on the game system, so it’s unlikely that Melo will need to be retrained, he should be useful to us.

– Calling Jackiri and Trimble full replacements for Milutinov and Shved is too much?

– Yes, because they are strong in other qualities, I will call them leadership. These players represent a reasonable balance between their desires and our abilities. The attacking talent of Nikola and Alexei is basically impossible to replace with the current budget and in the current situation. But by reconstructing the concept, we can reduce the consequences of their departure.

– Reducing the club’s budget, a headache?

— The influence of this factor is difficult to ignore. We wanted, but we couldn’t take some players, but they were bought by Zenit and UNICS. A big problem. But I’m not crying, but I’m looking for ways to beat these teams this season. Even with their compositions. It sounds difficult, but if we work hard, we will reach our goal. Last season CSKA got off to a good start and lost to Krasnodar in the VTB United League semi-finals. This time it should be different. We will grow in the regular season in order to gain punching power in the playoffs.

– It is clear with Milutinov and Shved. Davidovac and Moore couldn’t be kept either?

– Yes and no. Honestly, Davidovac is also an expensive player, we couldn’t keep him even if we wanted to. But we are lucky that M’Bai is not weaker than Davidovac.

– Bronze last season: what conclusions did you draw after an unusual tournament outcome for CSKA?

“There are times when we deserve criticism. Mistakes need to be aware so that they do not happen again. We all learn, without it there is no progress. Learning for smart people is a constant and natural state that contributes to becoming stronger. This applies not only to the technical staff, but to the whole club.

– What exactly would you try to avoid, knowing how it would all end?

– There are few such points, but they do exist. In particular, the tactical nuances. Also, I would reconsider the attitude towards Shved’s injury and recovery. The team leader was absent for two months, but this period could be reduced to one and a half or even a month, then Alexey would be better prepared for the semi-finals with Lokomotiv-Kuban. A very important aspect for us. Like Milutinov’s injury: in the playoffs he actually played on one leg. I think that in both cases it was possible to bring the leaders with more preparation to the decisive matches.

– Do you now blame the medical staff or the technical staff?

– I am ultimately responsible for both, so it makes sense to talk about the shortcomings of the whole club. It is wrong to blame only doctors, if only because they are under pressure from coaches, managers and players. We all should have done better.

– Kaykok himself paid compensation for parting with CSKA. Did you really want to leave?

– Every player dreams of playing in the Euroleague, which is why many Legionnaires have a clause in their contract that allows them to leave if the opportunity arises. Kaykok is no exception, he took advantage of the option provided in the contract, paid the release clause and is now playing in Bologna.

– Do you see a connection between the luxurious start and the blurry end of the past season?

– No. The coach wants, but cannot always control the form of play of the team. It happens that it is necessary to lose one or two matches for a further breakthrough, reshuffle, change of attitude to training. But the coach cannot give such an order. I was waiting for this moment, but we all won and as a result we didn’t get what we wanted at the finish line. I can say the same about wounds: they are not calculated. The score on the scoreboard is not just a tactic and battles on the pitch, it is the sum of many factors.

– Pre-season mini-tournaments in Banja Luka in Bosnia and Antalya in Turkey – how useful will they be for CSKA?

– First, they’re useful, and second, there weren’t many other opportunities to test yourself against strong opponents. “Partizan”, “Galatasaray”, “Turk Telecom”, “Anadolu Efes” are a solid company, in Moscow we would not have received such a level of practice.

— Is the VTB United League Super Cup from September 21-24 a serious trophy or exhibition games?

– In every match, even friendly, I want to win. But there is a reasonable risk threshold. The player can get injured and fall during the whole season, that’s why the coaching staff tries to find a balance. Important and the load, and the trophy, and caution, so as not to spoil the season before it even begins. We will certainly aim for victory, but the most important matches for us will take place next year, at the finish line.

– What is your personal professional motivation for the coming season? Win, rehabilitate, write the contract. What else?

— I want to prove that with a squad like CSKA’s — without top stars, without favorites on paper — we can be competitive, show good basketball and develop young Russian players. Last season, for example, Ruzhentsev sparked pride in his playoff performance, confirming in matches against Zenit and Lokomotiv that he had worked all year for good reason. I would like other Russians to follow his path.

We discussed this with Andrei Vatutin, and the club president called the development of the young generation the second most important task of the season, along with the result of the tournament. CSKA has a lot of trophies, but less than we would like, its own pupils who have reached great professional heights. This is where I see my motivation and my challenge. I will be satisfied and happy if I take one of the Russians to the highest level.

– Do you think there are future Kirilenkos and Swedes in the team?

– We can say that this or that match will have its own heroes, including young people. I hope that a sixth foreigner will appear at CSKA, when they are five. The main team, like last season, will consist of 10-11 players, we will try to become strong together, not alone. But we don’t have talents like Kirilenko or Shved who played in the NBA yet. But players worthy of the Euroleague, it is quite possible to educate. If CSKA comes back to it and can fight on equal terms, it will be a success. And I’ll call that another focus of my work. When the guys grow up and go to the best leagues in the world, the coach does not eat his bread in vain.

– While working in Poland, you noticed that it is worth taking off and throwing away your jacket during a game, because the team wins. Do you have a sign similar to CSKA?

– It wasn’t necessary here yet, we almost didn’t lose anyway! But this year, we will probably have to think about it. Inspiration during the match will tell you something.

– Why did the assistants Anton Yudin and Denis Godlevsky not suit you? The first worked at CSKA for 9 years, the second for 8 years. Both are no longer working.

– “Not arranged” – is badly said. They have their own way. I can’t say for them which one, but both ended the contract, they were considering options. Good professionals, who carried out the work in a professional manner, helped a lot. We talked and parted peacefully, I wish them good luck. Now I am assisted by people I have invited, they know my methodology and my requirements. For business, I think it is more useful.