“We have lived two lives this year. I didn’t receive so many congratulations even after the Euroleague victories. Interview with Andreï Vatoutine

CSKA experienced an extremely unsuccessful second stage of the VTB United League regular season and, probably, few people believed that the army team would become champions. At a critical moment, the club president Andrei Vatutin took a risk and changed horses at the crossroads: Andreas Pistiolis was appointed to the position of head coach instead of Emil Rajkovic. As the playoffs showed, the decision was completely justified.

Under the leadership of the 45-year-old specialist, the army team first defeated a strong middle team – Yenisei, then one of the favorites – Zenit from St. Petersburg, then last year’s champion , winner of the current regular season – Kazan. UNICS. And now, three years later, the “red-blues” again raised the Belov Cup over their heads and remembered the taste of champion champagne.

From the interview with the head of the army Andrei Vatutin on you will learn:

— How do you feel now that the emotions about the championship have calmed down a little? How did you celebrate?

– The feeling is absolutely wonderful. I think I will express the general opinion by saying that in terms of value this title is among the most significant. That’s why it stirred up so much emotion. I didn’t receive so many congratulatory messages even after the Euroleague victories – I answered all the SMS messages for several days. Besides, people continue to congratulate today. I hope I answered everyone. I am very grateful for the congratulations of my colleagues from the Russian clubs of the VTB League and the Super League, many Euroleague clubs, and I am incredibly happy to receive congratulations from our former famous players and coaches, with whom we won the Euroleague. Everyone wrote that they were very happy for the club and that they missed the atmosphere at CSKA.

This victory reminded me of the famous saying that you only begin to appreciate certain things when you lose them. This is why the return of the Cup now looks completely different. As for grades, we didn’t reinvent the wheel, we followed a proven path. The next day, returning to Moscow, we organized a party for the team and employees of the club, and on Friday evening we met with Megasport fans, receiving an additional charge of positive emotions. Monday evening, with part of the team, I go to Norilsk, where our friends from Norilsk Nickel are waiting for us with a serious stay program.

— How would you characterize this season in two or three words?

– In a word – rich. Most of the season was volatile play and results, we had to rebuild on the fly, make adjustments and make tough decisions. Like I said at our party, it was like we lived two lives in one year. In the first, they tried very hard, fought, but to a greater extent they “floated” and could not become a whole. In the second, they gathered together, became smarter, distributed roles, found their rhythm and confidently moved towards the main goal. I’m incredibly happy that the guys came together for a common goal, even though it only happened in April. I would like to remind you that in the interests of the club, many players reduced their contracts during the offseason and sacrificed their personnel for the sake of overall success.

— Before the playoffs, you carefully said that CSKA would gradually, step by step, set goals for these playoffs. Did you have big doubts about the team and the coach after the unsuccessful period of the championship under the leadership of Rajkovic? As they say, we burned ourselves with milk and blow water?

“I think you understand that my caution was absolutely justified. After all, even though the team was at the top of the standings, it did not show a stable and clear game. In the second stage, we tried to remember the last time we confidently and undoubtedly beat one of the best clubs in the league. And they couldn’t offer anything fresher than the away game in Kazan in November. At the second stage of the tournament, we lost twice to Yenisei, to which we entered in the first round, so there was no need to talk about firm confidence in the quarterfinal victory over Krasnoyarsk, and even in the context of a change of coach. We didn’t look beyond the next game.

— What did you think when Pistiolis was appointed in April?

— The main idea was that changes are necessary. Although I don’t remember such coaching changes before the playoffs in the history of club basketball. The situation within the team, despite the fight for first place in the standings until the last round, was somewhat depressing. Everything seemed as if the desire and dedication of the players alone were not enough to enter the category of winners of the VTB League. Andreas managed to regain that confidence in a short time and clearly showed the team the path by which they could achieve victory. Then, in April, when he introduced Andreas to the players, he warned that they shouldn’t expect any magic. This did not exist, everything was achieved through systematic and persistent work.

— Now that the season’s task is completed, can you safely give yourself and the club’s management a rating of “excellent”?

— Working in a team, especially in a team like CSKA, is not worth giving individual assessments. We had a common goal and everyone contributes to success. It seems to me that in this matter, we should first of all listen to our fans. Their assessments during the meeting with the team are very significant and are dear to us. Now I just want to thank everyone involved in this victory: the owner of the club – the Norilsk Nickel company, the club council, the players, the headquarters, the sponsors, the partners, the office, my colleagues, our families, our loved ones and, of course. , the supporters who never stopped believing in the team. By the way, the banner hung in the stands at each playoff match counting the steps leading to the 11th Cup was a huge confidence booster. We have seen that despite the poor results in the regular season, people consider this team worthy and capable of winning the trophy.

— A certain number of players, including the legionnaires Weir, Trimble, Jean-Charles, M’Bye, are at the end of their contract. And after? Keep these players?

— First, it is very important that the coaching staff has an idea of ​​the capabilities of the current team. We understand what we do well and what needs improvement. This was one of the objectives of the changes made in April: to try to save the current season while working on the future season. I don’t want to talk about the specific names of the new arrivals yet. Our overall plan is to preserve the core of the team and strengthen it in a targeted manner. Negotiations with many current managers have already begun, but the management will not just do it, the players have become champions and, therefore, the contracts will definitely not become cheaper. As always, I ask fans to pay less attention to rumors.

— Nikita Kurbanov has not yet accepted your proposal to sign a new contract?

— I will say this: Nikita wants to stay at CSKA. It’s his club, his team, he is our legend, our leader. When I offered him a new contract on , we hadn’t yet agreed on the terms. Nikita didn’t even know what I would say about it; we had not had any substantive conversations on this topic until that point.

— Vorontsevich, who played for PARIS NN and UNICS last season, is in good shape? Would you like to bring him back to the team?

– Beautiful. He is professorial in his movements on the court and his understanding of the game. Andrey is also one of the legendary players in the club’s history, a basketball player who played almost seven hundred matches for CSKA. He looked great last season and became a key player for UNICS in the playoffs. I don’t want to immediately close the door to CSKA for him, the team’s training for next season has just begun and the coaches have to make a choice. At the same time, it must be understood that the team cannot consist only of veterans. Now, in the “30+” category, we have Astapkovich, Antonov, Kurbanov, and probably M’Bye, Weir and Jean-Charles. Trimble and Jackiri will also soon turn 30. It is important to find a balance between experience and youth.

— In March, you said that the construction of USC CSKA was progressing with some delay. How are you now ?

— Unfortunately, there are certain difficulties. They are mainly linked to changes within the Ministry of Defense. At the same time, Norilsk Nickel has a strong desire to successfully complete the project, for which a lot of efforts are being made. Construction is progressing, but not at the pace we would all like. Builders have already started work on the roof of the building and we are holding numerous meetings with designers regarding the interior of the arena. We always want to go faster, but the club does not have the possibility of influencing certain processes.

— How long should we expect the army team to return to the Euroleague?

“I can hardly say anything new compared to previous statements on this subject.” There is a position expressed by the Euroleague management: as long as the special operation continues, this is out of the question. Based on this narrative, some discussions about deadlines now belong to the conversational genre, and critical decisions are not visible. Nevertheless, we try to maintain the organizational level of the club at the highest standards and, as shareholders, we continue to work in all committees and meetings of the Euroleague and maintain full contact with our colleagues . In private conversations, European colleagues, not to mention ordinary fans, have repeatedly emphasized that without CSKA the Euroleague has lost a lot. But the political situation as a whole does not yet allow the tournament to change its position towards Russia.

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