Juan Plata is many things. But it’s definitely not boring. THE The way he lived his life proves it. He has a sense of humor, something showed up in the debate over how his name should be pronounced when he asked to be called John. But he didn’t come to joke at AEK.

In his presentation of the “Union” The Catalan technician made several appearances to resort to stereotypes. He didn’t want to say big words. He used his experience to handle each issue in a way that didn’t deviate from the guidelines. Still, if you read behind the words, you could understand that the Catalan coach had managed to get his message across.

The conversation about the budget

When we heard the news that AEK had agreed to Juan Plata, everyone first thought that the ‘Union’ had imposed a big budget on the Catalan coach, among other things. However, from the Catalan’s words – and the answers he gave to the questions he was asked – it’s clear that that didn’t happen.

“Whatever the budget, we have ambitions and desires.” was one of the first sayings of the Catalan. “A team’s biggest mistake is signing big names. We want players with the profile we’re looking for. We will try to find players that match the team’s abilities.” he said at another time. And it didn’t stop there.

“We will try not to make wrong decisions with our foreigners. We have no margin for error because we don’t have a budget of 6-8 million to make changes.” He pointed this out elsewhere, before adding when asked if he would speak to Spanish players: “Spanish players are expensive but may not be suitable for what we envision.”

Every word Platha spoke about the cast and the budget showed that he knew there would be no excesses. And he himself shows that he has accepted this. Platha seemed realistic and honest. He didn’t want to say big words, but wanted to put things on the right footing.

Philosophy and goals are set as the roster takes shape

Juan Plata is a technician who has proven its credibility over the years. He has many things on his mind, but he is a restless spirit. He always wants to learn. This was evident when he mentioned that during his time without a team (circa 1.5 years) he had attended training sessions with the Spurs and Celtics for a month and Sergio Scariolo’s Virtus Bologna for ten days. That he has attended training sessions for the Spanish national team (men and women) and 10 of the 18 teams in the Endesa League. ““Recycling is essential in my job” he said characteristically.

At the same time, he did not want to talk about the philosophy that he will have at AEK, except that he will try to play attractive basketball. “I want us to play exciting basketball, with elements from every team I’ve been with.” he said specifically, making sure to mention beforehand: “When I’ve worked for so many years at different clubs across Europe, from Real and Cachasol to Zalgiris, Malaga and Zenit, it’s impossible to have the same playbook. The style must be different. Everything has to do with the players we get and the basketball we’re going to play.”

At the same time, of course, it’s difficult to talk about his philosophy when AEK currently officially has only four players on its squad (Flionis, Hatzidakis, Karabelas and Petropoulou, who are unlikely to stay) and one more that is expected to stay to be announced (Netzipoglou ). It is certainly just as difficult to talk about goals. Nevertheless, coach Platha said what he thought: “We want to improve our numbers compared to last year and get closer to Olympiakos and Panathinaikos.”

The beginning of a new era

Juan Plata came to AEK to teach the world how to pronounce his name and say anything with his name. Even if he sometimes has to use some cliche phrases. But conclusions can also be drawn from these proposals.

AEK enters a new era. The 100th anniversary season saw the decision to sign Juan Plata – one of the most important steps in its modern history. The “Union” will continue to pursue a tight economic policy and, after the openings of the past, will carry out internal consolidation. At the same time, however, he will try to get back where he belongs with the Catalan technician at the helm.

Last season was a good start for AEK to climb back up after two strange years. It is clear that the arrival of Platha has given “Union” another breath. The smile is more frequent, the feeling that something seems to change is more than clear. Now it is necessary to find the right pieces to complete the AEK puzzle. The first – and most important – will be sitting on the edge of their bench.