“Now is the time not to think about goals”

The national coach explained in the presentation held at the Daoiz y Velarde Municipal Sports Center in Madrid that “now is the time not to think about goals”, especially those set by those who “observe from the outside”.

“We have to focus on coming back, on doing what we have done many times, making a team and having a clear idea of ​​how to be good teammates, that is the starting point, then we will see where the competition puts us”, expressed the Italian technician.

For the coach, the list of 22 players mentioned is a “very different, very interesting, very fun and very stimulating team”, and he positively assessed that the federation has been “for several years in a very homogeneous and uniform way” in lower categories, which “it has already been noticed” in the qualifying ‘windows’. “Now it’s about putting it at a much higher level of competition and having the confidence and the ability to work to be able to raise the bar a little higher,” he added.

For his part, the captain of the national team, Rudy Fernández, was “grateful to the national team”, in which he has been from 2004 to a current time in which he can be “with these future and present players”. “My legs won’t be able to help me as much as in 2004, but of course the desire and enthusiasm with these players are going to raise the flag of this country,” he assured.

The player of Real Madrid He valued the “responsibility” of having to transmit the values ​​to the new internationals. “It’s been almost two decades of many medals and trophies that seemed impossible and are won, and that must be instilled in the new people who enter,” he said.

“This year there are many new players. We don’t have to put the pressure of everything that has happened before because it would be a mistake. This is a new year, a new goal, it is a very new team, we have to rebuild, “said the Spaniard, who does not put a ceiling on the competition.

He also participated in the presentation ceremony Sergio Llull, who recognized that it is “a privilege” to be international “one more summer”. “I see a lot of desire, a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of commitment to prepare well, fight day by day, take care of ourselves and do things well when the friendly matches come and then the important ones”, remarked the point guard.

With the new players, he did not hide the responsibility that veterans have in this call. «We behave quite well, we try to make everyone feel comfortable, transmit those values ​​that people like Philip Reyes, Navarro or the brothers Gasol they transmitted to us,” he said.