The health-struck national basketball coach Alex Mumbru steps into the second row during the European Championship and expressed himself for the first time since his illness. The players are at a memorable press conference-and make it clear.
With an expression of solidarity, the German basketball players have strengthened their back on their health coach Alex Mumbru. Three hours after the association announced that the 46-year-old Spaniard joined the second row during the European Championship games and left coaching during the games to his assistant Alan Ibrahimagic, the entire team around captain Dennis Schröder gathered at the press conference in the team hotel behind the coaching duo.
“We are here to express our support for Alex Mumbru,” said Maodo Lo for the team. The players read some things in the media that did not correspond to the truth. It is not true that Mumbru was no longer the national coach at this European Championship.
“He continues to give the impulses. The fact that he steps away does not correspond to a hundred percent of the truth,” said Lo. “We play his system, his idea, his philosophy. You have to acknowledge what that is insane performance that he is still here.”
Mumbru: “I’m still the team’s head coach”
Mumbru had suffered an “acute abdomen” shortly before the start of the EM and was taken to the hospital in Tampere. This is an emergency situation that requires immediate medical treatment. It mostly manifests itself in violent abdominal pain.
“I suffered. I tried to relax, but I’m not 100 percent,” said the Spaniard. “I continue to be the team’s head coach. Alan is the voice during the game. But we’ll do the rest together.” The message published in the morning could no longer be found on the association’s homepage in the afternoon.
“I don’t go home. We will continue to fight together. The truth is: For me, the most important thing is the game on Wednesday against Slovenia. I want the game to be in focus and not my personal situation,” said Mumbru, who was first expressed in such a media round at this European Championship.
Quarter -finals against Slovenia and Doncic
Germany is fighting on Wednesday (8 p.m./RTL and Magenta Sport) against Slovenia with NBA superstar Luka Doncic to move into the semi-finals. At the round of 16 against Portugal on Saturday, Mumbru had returned to the sidelines after Ibrahimagic had represented him in Finnish Tampere during the preliminary round and celebrated five victories in five games. Both had shared coaching tasks against Portugal.
It was clear that Mumbru was not completely fit and lost a lot of weight in the hospital. The double role on the coaching bench caused some unrest, even if the team was happy about the return of Mumbrus and dedicated his victory against Portugal.
“The coach is a warrior. You can tell that he has this mentality. We know what he did,” said captain Schröder about Mumbru after the success in the round of 16.
First tournament for Mumbru
Mumbru took over the national team last year after the Olympic Games in Paris by world champion coach Gordon Herbert. The European Championship in Finland and Latvia is its first tournament as a national coach. After the European Championship, the next competitive game in the World Cup qualification is only due in November. The World Cup is in Qatar in 2027.
The ex-professional had adapted the world champion’s style of play a bit this summer. Schröder and Co. should play faster and more aggressive than Herbert Herbert. After a few adjustment difficulties in the course of the preparation, the team has so far implemented Mumbru’s ideas very well at this European Championship.
Ibrahimagic paid the Spaniard great respect for his decision to take a step back during the games. “It takes a lot of courage. I have the greatest respect for Alex ‘decision,” said the 47-year-old. “I see myself as an assistant coach of the team and do the job that I am expected to expect,” said Ibrahimagic. He takes over the tasks during the game. “Otherwise he stays head coach.”
DPA/MEL
