The priest, the culprit and the…elephant

Dimitris Priftis is a very responsible professional trainer and the same goes for his personal and family life…

Besides being responsible, he also becomes cynical for hours, as recently when, in a philological conversation with his friend and “teacher”, Vangelis Aggelou, he told him that the word “coach” is a polite and elegant expression of the true Quality is his synagogue…

A figure in the euphemism, so to speak!

Priftis claims that the trainer is the… culprit and I dare say he is not wrong as stated in the front of Otto Rehhagel’s book: “The statues of the carriages are made of paper to make them easier to burn»!!!

In this context, then, within 72 hours, the Priftis, who is not responsible, caused himself to blame himself twice, or at least to question himself publicly and he was wrong!

Sometimes he said it a lot, sometimes he let it be understood, but in the end in both cases he showed a self-critical mood and not in the dressing rooms or in his private conversations, but on the podium of the press conferences …

The “little mistake” with the closed rotation

On Saturday night after the game against PAOK, when asked to explain the closed rotation, the Panathinaikos coach said the following:

“I put it in quotes, it might have been a little wrong. I could have put a few kids in a little more. Just when the game goes to 10-12 points and you don’t manage the next two possessions well, the difference can drop to six and then it gets worse.

There I had to judge whether or not I would make a decision to refresh the team a bit by seeding some children. I made it through the first half but not the second. So let’s just say it could have been a little bit different“.

“Am I explaining it to you well? Study Ball from the Lord!

I read his statements and because he was very detailed and thoughtful, this famous attack by the late Nikos Alefantos on then NOVA reporter George Lykouropoulos came to mind.

«Didn’t you see how nicely I explain it to you? Can I explain this well? Now learn ball from the Lord»!

Priftis explained it nicely, he just wasn’t claiming the role of authority and the title of lord for himself, after all it was actually like looking in his mirror and saying “blame me”!

Last night (29/3), after the game with Maccabi, the Panathinaikos coach was again overcome with regret…

He was asked about Lefteris Mantzoukas sending off with five fouls (three of which he conceded midway through the third period) and looked in the mirror again…

Mandzouka’s accumulated fouls

«Maybe I should have taken him out on the third foul because the fourth came very quickly. But I thought I should let him play because he played very well. The difference wasn’t huge and the score didn’t help me protect it».

Ever since Panathinaikos defeated PAOK, the closed rotation in the match against PAOK has been a topic of conversation, nothing less, nothing more…

Yesterday’s venture with Mantzouka also ends on the same note at the end of the day: I mean, I’m not at all sure that the Gianniotis striker, even on his career night, had he not been eliminated, would have avoided defeat by Maccabi.

The ball on the pedestal and the culprit!

In any case, the Priest of Speeches spoke honestly and sincerely (as he said outside of Onassis when giving the medical notice of Andreas Papandreou’s state of health, Professor Grigoris Skalkeas), took responsibility for the staff and did not throw an eagle or the ball on the podium.

That’s the trainer, that’s also the… culprit!

You said!

No matter what would have happened (would not have happened) if Mantzoukas had remained more active in the game, the Greens conceded their 18th loss in 25 games (after the cancellation of those with the Russian teams) and look forward to three more games (Real, Alba , Fenerbahce) to get rid of this burden!

The agony of the Euroleague

Yes, although Panathinaikos fermented in Europe and created its modern legend in which it even established its dynasty (1996) before establishing its dominance in Greece (1998), at this point the Euroleague looks like a duty and a martyrdom that want to end it for an hour earlier.

Of course, what our ancient ancestors said applies in such cases…

Not good purely good!

This was also the case in yesterday’s game against the Israelis, who, with a view to the playoffs, had a very high motivation to get the best possible placement…

From the whole good and … Lefteraina!

The bad was the loss, while the good, which somehow worked and acted as an alibi, was the appearance of Mantzoukas, who went nuts!

Obviously Priftis and the whole green organism feel uncomfortable looking for fleas in the straw, but Panagiotaina is perfectly fine too.

The pretty good and the…Leftera!

Yesterday Panathinaikos paid dearly for the arguments of his defensive laxity, especially in transitional situations when the Israelis send him hunting!

The Greens are different, the Clippers are different!

Aside from Mantzouka’s outburst, Priftis also saw his team show character as he reduced the deficit to five points from -15 (61-76), but damn the Greens aren’t the…Clippers, who signed again after a few hours and have made major upheavals in their field.

Papapetrou is back

When the Panathinaikos coach makes good saves he has to find reasons to laugh his lips off, there is a third: Ioannis Papapetrou (who has proved) is back for good and may not have the time and opportunity to change the course of his team’s history to change in the Euroleague, but at least he leaves a wine cellar full of promises in view of the playoffs for the Greek championship.

The Greens presented a great picture in the first 15 minutes, but were fooled by their poor returns in defense, as a result of which they accepted a 17:1 series and saw the 45:38 turn into a 46:55.

The fact that in the first half the game was played at a fast pace and the score was high certainly didn’t favor Panathinaikos who however didn’t give up playing just for their honor and pride.

boldness and innocence

A little more about mantzoukas…

The former Prometheus player, who turns 19 next July 8, is in the coming-of-age phase in which the opposing forces within him clash: on the one hand, he plays with the audacity and ignorance of danger of a young rookie and aspiring man and on the other hand, it shows the… teething troubles caused by inexperience and in some cases (see foul) innocence…