Damage control became a problem for Panathinaikos

With the turn of this season, Panathinaikos OPAP is simply waiting for the end of the regular season in EuroLeague to reduce its problems to stop falling daily on a psychological level. Just nights like the Greens vs. Zalgiris are enough to fuel concern and internal anger.

Not so much because a goal is lost, but because the general situation doesn’t show the slightest significant improvement.

The problem that now exists with the management of damage in EuroLeague games was formulated by Howard Sant Ross shortly after the final of the game with Zalgiris. The 31-year-old warden/forward spoke of unity (“I think it’s a matter of unity“), due to a lack of understanding by many new players of what it takes to survive in the tournament (“Many new players still have no idea what it takes to be at this level“), in case of internal administration problems (“Someone has a problem with how we run offense and defense, someone else because we don’t talk on defense“).

Overall, it expressed an image that had not previously surfaced—at least not to this extent. That of general frustration with the way things are going.

Is such action unfair and unexpected? The question is rhetorical when we talk about Panathinaikos OPAP, from 18 defeats in 25 games in EuroLeague. One brings the other when difficult nights determine everyday life. Because no matter how professional the athlete is, no matter how hard he tries to separate the situations, he remains a human organism, influenced by the results.

That’s why there are times when you need to understand each other’s frustration and the (temporary) inability to deal with it. This was also the case in the game against Zalgiris, where the cloverleaf collapsed completely after the disappointing first ten minutes. Or, if he prefers, who couldn’t resist the slightest Lithuanian punch.

Stats weren’t needed to describe the difference in performance or to show that Panathinaikos OPAP struggled a lot in this game. Most (basketball) ignoramuses could tell the psychosynthesis of several players by their body language.

The thousand evils of his destiny

So, with all of this comes injuries. Ioannis Papapetrou’s problem, Stefan Jovic’s breakup, Okaro White’s annoyances. One brings the other as communicating vessels, increasing discomfort and frustration. Quite simply because there is no button, an opportunity to offer optimism and motivation for the next training session, for the next game.

So if a team – given quality problems and the need to work above the competition every day to be able to close the gap – cannot train at all, collapse seems inevitable. bracket. In order to be able to do rudimentary (sic) training on the eve of the game with Zalgiris, Dimitris Priftis had to “educate” Sanel Bala-Kayou from the youth team to the first team. The bracket closes.

However, in the finalthe inglorious even if this season’s season ends, no matter how badly written the epilogue, it seems unfair to annihilate everything, find everyone inadequate and be ushered out of OAKA.

Why can black (correspond to the appearances worn by the players on the night of Tuesday, March 1st) the dominant color on most nights in the EuroLeague but doesn’t cover everything. There are people within the organization who are pushing to restart and are redefining the day to day life of the club.

Not with the illusion that Panathinaikos OPAP will qualify for the Final Four next season, but with the belief that despite revenue/expense, it will present an image that better matches the jersey’s weight and the legacy that of created for those who are now, against all odds, on the front lines and fighting.