José Neto: "If we have a chance, that's what we should think about"
The coach of the red-black basketball team gives an interview to the Official Website
By Communication - Official Club Website - in
A week before the first game of the Intercontinental Basketball Cup finals, Flamengo coach José Neto spoke about the magnitude of the competition, which kicks off the most special season in the history of the sport at Flamengo. After the matches against European champion Maccabi Tel Aviv on September 26th and 28th – which already has tickets on sale -, the Pride of the Nation will have ahead three NBA preseason friendlies - see how to buy tickets and tickets -, and the defense of the state, national (NBB) and continental (League of the Americas) titles.
"Until the World Cup, we have to be Maccabi experts. That's our focus: what we can do to bring this title to Brazil. It's a very difficult task, given the investment they make. But if we have a chance, that's what we should think about," said Neto.
On Thursday (September 18.09), the team arrived at Gávea, wearing the new adidas uniform for the season. Vice-President Alexandre Póvoa spoke about the fantastic moment Flamengo is experiencing. Director Marcelo Vido was moved when remembering his time as a player and the possibility of winning the World Cup again, this time as a manager. Read more.
Check the interview in full
Growth in the World Cup
It's the pinnacle of basketball. It's where the best teams are, the players are mostly the best, and the coaches are the best. The way basketball is played around the world is very competitive, as seen in the championship. Brazil participated in a very strong group, with Spain, Serbia, and France—all practically medalists. We took advantage of this, studied our opponents in depth, our own performance, and Brazil's play, being one of the best defensive and transition teams. We played good basketball at a high level; it's inevitable that it was a great learning experience. It's the greatest one there is. This was my fifth World Cup, three for adults and two for under-19s, and with each competition I participate in, I see how much I've learned and how much I still have to learn.
Motivation for the World Cup
It's very important to mention that they're champions of the Euroleague, one of the best in the world. Besides the NBA, it brings together the teams that invest the most. That's no small feat. This isn't the first time Maccabi has reached the Euroleague Final Four; they have a tradition of high-level basketball. For us, playing against a team like Maccabi is a huge motivation. We know the difficulty, but also our potential. We've assembled a very competitive team to face them in two games. From now on, until the World Cup, we have to be Maccabi specialists. That's our focus: what we can do to bring this title to Brazil. It's a very difficult task, given their investment. But if we have a chance, that's what we should think about.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
They won the Euroleague final against Real Madrid. They beat CSKA, a very strong team, in the Final Four. They knocked Milan, the Final Four host team, out of the playoff race. They're a team that made it on merit, with a lot of tradition and a strong presence. But we know our capabilities. We're not just going to play; we're investing in this, making sure the team is prepared to face an opponent of Maccabi's caliber.
Season 2014 / 2015
I think any team would love to have the season we're about to have. We'll play the Intercontinental Cup, three NBA games, and then we'll go to the NBB, then the Liga da América. I believe this is very fair given everything Flamengo has achieved in the sport. It's a very special season, and we're preparing for it, for a team that participates and has a chance to win. We're focusing on this in every training session, in every competition, to learn, grow, and pursue titles.
"Until the World Cup, we have to be Maccabi experts. That's our focus: what we can do to bring this title to Brazil. It's a very difficult task, given the investment they make. But if we have a chance, that's what we should think about," said Neto.
On Thursday (September 18.09), the team arrived at Gávea, wearing the new adidas uniform for the season. Vice-President Alexandre Póvoa spoke about the fantastic moment Flamengo is experiencing. Director Marcelo Vido was moved when remembering his time as a player and the possibility of winning the World Cup again, this time as a manager. Read more.
Check the interview in full
Growth in the World Cup
It's the pinnacle of basketball. It's where the best teams are, the players are mostly the best, and the coaches are the best. The way basketball is played around the world is very competitive, as seen in the championship. Brazil participated in a very strong group, with Spain, Serbia, and France—all practically medalists. We took advantage of this, studied our opponents in depth, our own performance, and Brazil's play, being one of the best defensive and transition teams. We played good basketball at a high level; it's inevitable that it was a great learning experience. It's the greatest one there is. This was my fifth World Cup, three for adults and two for under-19s, and with each competition I participate in, I see how much I've learned and how much I still have to learn.
Motivation for the World Cup
It's very important to mention that they're champions of the Euroleague, one of the best in the world. Besides the NBA, it brings together the teams that invest the most. That's no small feat. This isn't the first time Maccabi has reached the Euroleague Final Four; they have a tradition of high-level basketball. For us, playing against a team like Maccabi is a huge motivation. We know the difficulty, but also our potential. We've assembled a very competitive team to face them in two games. From now on, until the World Cup, we have to be Maccabi specialists. That's our focus: what we can do to bring this title to Brazil. It's a very difficult task, given their investment. But if we have a chance, that's what we should think about.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
They won the Euroleague final against Real Madrid. They beat CSKA, a very strong team, in the Final Four. They knocked Milan, the Final Four host team, out of the playoff race. They're a team that made it on merit, with a lot of tradition and a strong presence. But we know our capabilities. We're not just going to play; we're investing in this, making sure the team is prepared to face an opponent of Maccabi's caliber.
Season 2014 / 2015
I think any team would love to have the season we're about to have. We'll play the Intercontinental Cup, three NBA games, and then we'll go to the NBB, then the Liga da América. I believe this is very fair given everything Flamengo has achieved in the sport. It's a very special season, and we're preparing for it, for a team that participates and has a chance to win. We're focusing on this in every training session, in every competition, to learn, grow, and pursue titles.