The coach of the French basketball team Vincent Collet decided on Saturday August 3, “sad and unacceptable” the declaration of his player Evan Fournier, who estimated the previous day, after the defeat against Germany (85-71), that the Blues “sometimes (are) wrong about the way (they) want to play”.
“I think, sometimes, we make mistakes in the way we want to play, said the offensive leader of the Blues in recent years. These days, the best defense is still offense. It’s not the game of the 90s or 2000s anymore, where you can defend half court. Your attack is important for balance, for transition. Especially when you play a team as strong in transition as Germany.declared fullback Evan Fournier after the loss against the Mannschaft (85-71) in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
“Let’s explain it.”
“Evan Fournier, it’s not the group, it’s Evan Fournier. It’s a regrettable and unacceptable statement for which he has responsibility. We’ll explain it. I have no other comment to make”Collet told the press in Paris, that the French were rallying from Lille.
Asked about possible backlash after these comments, Collet said: “The French team is not that of the coach but of a federation, you will see on Tuesday in terms of coaching” during the quarter-final, in Bercy.
Fournier went before the media and said he was “Sorry Vincent took it, it made me sad”. “It’s not the goal that he can’t get it, I want us to move forward.he added.
“Better to attack”
Fournier, one of the Blues executives for many years, clarified his comments on Saturday. “What I said is valid for all teams: when you lose balls, when you shoot from 15 meters, you feed other teams with a fast game and it is difficult to be in the defensive area of middle of the earth, to return. It is not something to be denied.said the fullback. “If we want to exploit our defense, it’s better to attack”he added.
“We never said that we will not attackreplied Collet. We’re also looking to find attack refinement, but at the moment that’s not the key. The key is to find a stronger (defensive) identity.”