Basket Armani, some advice to Melli, Davies, Thomas: try to play with agility

I have to make a good memory effort to remember such a dark period in Europe. They tell me that six seasons ago came ten defeats in a row, and I believe in confidence. Only then it made less news: that Olimpia there, coached by Repesa, was indeed Italian champion, but in the cup he had few ambitions and far fewer means than now. Now this crisis is making more noise, it is grabbing the headlines, it is at odds with the expectations for the start of the season. True, the 30 points conceded at home came from the European champions, but we have to be honest and say that up until the week before this Efes was struggling a lot. And the way I was impressed: Olimpia surrendered without a fight, without playing, enduring every situation. If there is one characteristic that Ettore Messina’s teams have always had – whether they played well or not – it is reactivity. This is a team that, to the outside observer, would suggest deep problems between players, clans, quarrels. Not so, they tell me. And I believe it. So?

I was impressed to hear that speech from Ettore, that agitation of the idea of ​​farewell if the situation doesn’t straighten out. He’s not the type to give up and I’m sure he’ll take out all the guns he has, go through all the pockets and all the drawers to get his team to react. Sure, he knows he’s responsible and isn’t hiding. he probably did something wrong in construction, the pieces he thought were useful are not turning out to be useful, or not enough. The house isn’t coming up with all the bricks straight. The problem is being forced to patch up every game, with every new injury, improvising on the spot. The coach’s task in this case is even more difficult, even for a brilliant mind like my friend’s. We have already seen the attempt to take a different path with Fenerbahce, where Armani played with more agile, more racing quintets, and with a good defensive aggressiveness which, however, will have to extend to at least 25 minutes, if he wants to impose a rhythm higher. The return of some shooters, from Baron to Datome, will make this road easier. But even Messina knows that with only light artillery in the Euroleague he doesn’t go very far. It takes weight, it takes players of stature and tonnage or you get swept away.

Small suggestion to Davies, Thomas and Melli: try to play with agility rather than power.