Berlin. First of all, Israel Gonzalez has to seriously contradict one rumor. The rumor that there are more time outs at Alba Berlin, now that he is representing the head coach Aito Garcia Reneses, who has Covid-19. “I don’t see it that way,” says the 45-year-old after the 95:91 in the basketball Euroleague about Baskonia Vitoria. The situations that arise in the game are ultimately practiced in training; they have to be resolved on the field. “Today we took time off because we needed a break. We had so few players, ”he explains. In general: “Time-outs are not magic.”
He speaks calmly, modestly, and Aito always remains in the game, the man he has been working with in his sixth season. From 2014 to 2016 they formed a team at CB Gran Canaria in Spain’s top division. This is now their fourth year at Alba. Even in this complicated situation, they are in constant contact. “We talk two or three times a day, exchange a lot of text on WhatsApp,” reports Gonzalez, “he makes a lot of suggestions, I keep him informed about everything we’re doing. He leads the team. ”
Aito can be proud of what his team is doing
The 74-year-old can be very proud of what his team is doing, which without him and five injured players has just defeated two top European teams – Bayern Munich and Vitoria. And on his pupil, who represents him so successfully. He has won two out of three games as head coach. Gonzalez doesn’t want to make his role any bigger than it is. “It makes no difference to me whether I lose or win as a head coach or as an assistant. Either way, I’ll give one hundred percent. ”Of course, it hurts to lose and it makes you happy to win. Only: “The feeling is the same.” Maybe it is a little more special because it is now in focus, “but I don’t care”.
What the players think of his work will be more important to him. For example Luke Sikma: “Israel is doing a great job,” says one of the team’s currently injured top performers, “everyone has great respect for him. We trust him very much as head coach. ”Gonzalez will also take on this position this Thursday (8pm, Magentasport) when Maccabi Tel Aviv, the next European heavyweight, will play in Berlin. “Aito still needs a break and recovery until he is ready again,” says his deputy, “Coaching is his life, he enjoys it a lot. He would definitely like to be with us now. “
Alba sports director Himar Ojeda has been promoting Gonzalez for a long time
Until then, Gonzalez takes over. He already did that for two or three games at BC Gran Canaria when Garcia Reneses was plagued by health problems. Otherwise he was an assistant for most of his coaching career, which had spanned more than twenty years. Only in 2008, Gonzalez rose in his hometown once in the middle of the season to head coach of the second division Cantabria Torrelavega. He finished it with success. After that, however, the club got into financial turmoil. Alba sports director Himar Ojeda, then manager in Gran Canaria, brought the young man to the island, where he stayed until 2017.
Ojeda is very fond of Gonzalez. After all, he has already had some great teachers: Not only Garcia Reneses, but also Luis Casimiro (now Unicaja Malaga), Pablo Laso (Real Madrid) or Pedro Martinez (TDK Manresa), all of whom are luminaries in Spain’s coaching guild, he accompanied as an assistant. “I hope that won’t happen anytime soon. But if Aito leaves at some point, Israel Stand will now be my number one option to succeed him, ”says Ojeda.
At Alba Berlin promotion to associate head coach
Gonzalez, who lives with his wife and 13-year-old daughter in Berlin, does not think that far yet. Rather the opposite is the case. “My goal is to learn as much from Aito as I can. And try to do my best to help the team. ”After that everything will come,“ as it comes. I have patience. ”At the beginning of the season, he received a letter of how much his work was recognized. Alba promoted him from assistant coach to associate head coach, to a kind of deputy head coach. He now fills this post more than he himself might like. And looks forward to the day when his boss is back.
But is there still so much to learn from each other after six years together? Incredible look. “I still learn from Aito every day,” replies Gonzalez. “He has 50 years of experience as a basketball coach. Aito doesn’t stick to the standard that he has. He’s interested in everything new. ”He himself had the feeling that his compatriot knew everything about basketball, not just about tactics, everything. “Aito is the best coach. I am very happy that I can work with him. ”
Philosophies from Alba Berlin and both coaches fit
In many ways he is emulating the almost thirty years his senior, which can be heard in some of his sentences. “I am very happy to work with the players. I try to help them and they try to help me. The team chemistry is intact, ”he says. “If we get through this phase well, we will be stronger and better. Because we have more trust in our teammates. ”
It’s always about the common goal, about trust, about continuity. “Both have a good connection,” observes Ojeda, both have similar ideas about the game and how you can win it. Gonzalez does not now use the opportunity to try completely new things, to bring in a different philosophy. Because it’s the same as Garcia Reneses. Gonzalez: “The most important thing is not to win or lose. The most important thing is to try to do our best. “
He doesn’t feel any pressure. For him, that’s because of the club’s philosophy of getting better every day. “We think about the future, about the end of the season, about the next year, even about the next three years. It’s not like a story ends after these two weeks. ”But it could be that this time has a strong influence on the future. Especially Israel Gonzalez’s.
Read more about Alba Berlin here.
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