ARG - Hernandez happy with dual coaching role

BUENOS AIRES (National Team) - Sergio Hernandez believes his decision to coach Penarol as well as the Argentinian national side has been a positive one.

In June, Hernandez took over at the Mar del Plata-based side as the successor to Carlos Romano, after the Argentinian Basketball Confederation accepted him doing a part-time job as the national team coach.

The 44-year-old former Estudiantes and Boca Juniors boss does not regret the decision at all.

He said: “I’m very happy. Before I used to coach no more than 30 games in one year. Now, I’ve coached almost 40 just in Penarol, adding the Copa Argentina, the South American Club Championship in Brazil, the Super 8 and the Liga Nacional.

“I needed to get a rhythm because I feel I was giving advantages in the international championships. I needed daily pressure again,” he told La Nacion newspaper.

As the Liga Nacional is on a break, Hernandez’s focus turns to the national team: “I’m meeting the Confederation board soon to set the schedule of training camps, meetings, friendlies, tours prior to the Olympic Games,” he added.

“I’ve contacted several overseas players and analysed the possibilities to call-up home-based players.

“Until now, one job has not interfered with the other. Maybe the problem comes in April or May, towards the end of the Liga Nacional season and at the beginning of the national team warm-up to the South American Championship in Chile. I will have to clone myself then.

“What we are doing in Penarol will have its balance in June, when the Liga Nacional ends. My end-of-year balance was in Las Vegas, where we booked a place at the Olympics. It has been a very positive year obviously.”

Argentina will defend the Olympic gold medal clinched in Athens under Ruben Magnano.

Hernandez believes next year will be very different to 2004.

“I will go to Beijing with a team that have already proved what they are able to do at the Olympics,” he said.

“They have gained respect, they have a big history and it’s very important.

“I understand we’ll face great teams, such as the United States and Spain but I dream big. The podium at least.”

When ‘El Oveja’ took over as Argentina head coach, he said he would resign if he failed to lead the Albicelestes to the Olympic Games.

That goal has been achieved and Hernandez feels he has silenced the critics.

He said: “I felt that among the basketball environment, there was uncertainty whether I was the right man to coach the national team.

“I thought - 'I don’t like being in a place where people do not want me’. Because of that, I gave the Confederation the possibility to decide about my future if we failed to qualify in Las Vegas.

“If I am in the national team, I want most of the people to be satisfied. If I haven’t created chemistry in the national team, I would have been forced to quit.

“I accepted it at the time because it was normal. However, I believe the fourth place we got at the FIBA World Championship last year has not been valued. I’m happy with what we’ve done.”

Matias Greco
FIBA