Peppe Poeta slams half of Olimpia: “If you don’t put your heart into it, you can’t play basketball”
The loss to Real Madrid leaves Olimpia Milano grappling with serious questions, especially regarding the team’s attitude and mental toughness. In the postgame interview, Coach Peppe Poeta did not hide his disappointment, pointing the finger at the team’s lack of heart and emphasizing the need to take responsibility: “There isn’t much to say. If you don’t put your heart into it, you can’t play basketball. Only a few players did. You can talk about technique and tactics, but in the end, if you don’t play with heart, you can’t compete at any level,” the coach said.”
Pippo Ricci’s entry into the game and the crowd’s reaction were among the topics addressed by Poeta, who explained the reasons for the substitution and the difficulties in managing the pecking order within the team. “It was something to shake up the team. I have to establish the hierarchies required by EuroLeague status—that’s clear. If I have to limit Peters—who just won the EuroLeague—to less than 14 minutes of playing time, we have a problem. I’ll always be grateful to Pippo—he always gives his all on the court—but I have to get my players back on track.”
The coach then clarified what prompted him to make the move: “The substitution coincided with Peters’ second defensive mistake; we were down by 20, so I made the call. A move of desperation. I wouldn’t have made the substitution if Peters hadn’t made another defensive mistake.” The team’s standing in the standings is starting to cause concern, but Poeta reiterated his desire to keep working to find a solution. “The only thing I can do is take responsibility and give it my all in practice. Trying everything I can to spark something.”
The team’s technical issues and mental lapses are another aspect the coach addressed, acknowledging the difficulties in building plays and executing them. “We have obvious technical problems. We’re struggling to create plays; Thompson is struggling, and Cole is a rookie. That can discourage you and cause you to lose a shared sense of purpose, but it’s no excuse.” Poeta pointed out that the initial approach had been positive before the team lost its way: “Today we even started off on the right foot, but then there were those lapses—a mix of defensive and offensive issues. That’s when we lose our cohesion and stop defending on the back end.”
