Parker expressed criticism towards the dismissed Pozzecco: “I am very disappointed with his performance.”

ASVEL Villeurbanne, a professional basketball team, has decided to part ways with head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco following their recent defeat against Kaunas’ “Žalgiris.” The decision was announced by the team owner, iconic French basketball player Tony Parker, during an interview with L’Equipe, where he candidly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Italian coach’s performance.

Parker did not mince his words, stating, “I am very, very disappointed with his performance, his leadership of the team. We have known for 2-3 weeks that this cannot continue. No team in the EuroLeague plays like that. It is unreal and impossible to play 3 games a week and use only 9 players.”

One of the key points of contention for Parker was Pozzecco’s reluctance to provide playing time to the younger members of the team. This decision went against the club’s philosophy, which places importance on nurturing and integrating young talents into the roster.

As time progressed, Parker observed a deterioration in Pozzecco’s attitude, describing it as increasingly negative. The coach faced challenges in motivating the players and, in the process, lost the team’s confidence. Parker emphasized, “I don’t want such a coach in our team – it contradicts the club’s philosophy.”

Interestingly, despite the evident issues, Parker highlighted that Pozzecco did not voluntarily step down but clung to his position. “In the end, he gave up. I am a fighter, and I don’t understand how someone can give up after just a month and a half. I saw that Pozzecco wasn’t planning to resign on his own. He didn’t want to give up the money – that’s how this business works.”

In the interim, the coaching responsibilities will be taken over by Pierricas Poupetas, who previously served as an assistant coach. The move aims to provide stability to the team as they navigate through a challenging period.

ASVEL Villeurbanne’s decision to make a coaching change reflects the high expectations and standards set by the club, and it will be interesting to see how the team responds under the interim leadership while they search for a permanent replacement for Pozzecco.