Meshcheryakov: “Lokomotiv-Kuban has a young team, it takes time to play well”

Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Basketball Club Lokomotiv-Kuban Anatoly Meshcheryakov told that the “red-greens” are on the right track to prepare for the new season, noting that the team has young players and needs time to get going.

Lokomotiv Kuban beat Turkey’s Besiktas in overtime on Saturday in the match for fifth place in the VTB United Super League Cup (97:96).

— How do you see Loko’s prospects in the new season? And how do you assess the fact that the club president Andrei Vedischev has appointed himself as the team’s head coach?

— Listen, Andrey Vladimirovich definitely did not name himself. Because this was preceded by some work and coordination with all the club’s management bodies. This is the first. Secondly, the fact that today’s match ended in victory indicates, I think, that Lokomotiv is on the right track in preparing for the season. Because the Super Bowl can be considered only a preparatory tournament. And unlike other United League clubs, this is the team that has undergone the biggest changes. The team is young, the players are young, and therefore it takes time to create team chemistry and play well together. I think this whole stage is dedicated to this. Let’s see.

— What do you think about Vedishchev’s prospects as a coach?

“I absolutely do not want to get ahead of myself.” I support his decision. Given the strategy that the club has been following for almost ten years after deciding to create its own academy and investing significant resources in it to develop its youth, this is an understandable decision. Because it is necessary to use the resources of young players to the maximum,” Meshcheryakov told .

The new season of the VTB United League starts on September 21.

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