Ergin Ataman hits back at resignation rumors: 'Everything written is a fairy tale'
Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman has reacted sharply to claims that he will part ways with the club after their EuroLeague play-off exit.
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"Everything written is a fairy tale, they are creating a perception!" Ergin Ataman and the Panathinaikos President issue a joint challenge to the Greek press!
Ataman, who reacted sharply to claims that he would part ways with Panathinaikos after the team's EuroLeague play-off exit, stated, "They want to disrupt our unity," while President Giannakopoulos also stood by his coach.
Panathinaikos, which disappointed its fans this season by missing out on a Final Four ticket in the EuroLeague, the most prestigious club-level organization in European basketball, is being shaken by off-court allegations. The experienced head coach and club management responded with lightning speed to the separation reports published by the Greek media yesterday, which claimed that training sessions had been canceled and that "Ergin Ataman could part ways with the club at any moment."
"OUR GOAL IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP, EVERYTHING IS NORMAL"
Responding directly to the speculation surrounding him via TRT Spor, Ergin Ataman stated that there is no crisis at the club and that they are fully focused on the domestic league. Accusing the Greek press of conducting a perception operation, Ataman used the following expressions:
"I am truly very sad that we turned back from the door of the Final Four and could not give our fans this happiness. However, there is no throwing in the towel for us; our new and biggest goal is the Greek League championship. Everything written and drawn about us in the press today is nothing but a big fairy tale. These are deliberate perception campaigns aimed entirely at disrupting our unity and focus within the team. Everything is proceeding normally at the club."
A SIGNIFICANT POST FROM THE PRESIDENT: "THEY ARE NOT WORTHY OF SAYING THEY LOVE THE TEAM"
One of the heaviest blows to the Greek media's separation scenarios came from Panathinaikos' unconventional president, Dimitris Giannakopoulos. Sharing a sincere photo of himself side-by-side with Ergin Ataman on his social media account, Giannakopoulos issued a warning to both the press and the radical groups criticizing the team with these words: