Australia - Boomers coach can continue in job, if he still wants it
The Boomers head coaching job is Brian Goorjian's to lose or refuse. In the position for the past six years, including two Olympic campaigns, Goorjian has held preliminary talks with Basketball Australia about leading the national team through to the 2012 Games and is favourite to retain the role.
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The Boomers head coaching job is Brian Goorjian's to lose or refuse.
In the position for the past six years, including two Olympic campaigns, Goorjian has held preliminary talks with Basketball Australia about leading the national team through to the 2012 Games and is favourite to retain the role.
Even so, BA has advertised the job -- just as it did recently with the Opals head coaching position vacated by Jan Stirling -- and will consider applications from challengers to Goorjian, who took over from Phil Smyth in 2002.
But the wording of BA's post on its website about the job, calling for "a visionary person to lead the national men's basketball program for the next four years", is the key as it basically endorses Goorjian as the primary and preferred candidate.
"That person may still be incumbent Brian Goorjian, who has coached the Boomers since 2002 and led the team to the quarter-finals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing," the BA post said.
"As part of the evaluation of the 2008 Boomers program, Goorjian met with the sport's governing body (and) signalled his intention to apply."
BA is expecting applications from Australia and overseas before the December 12 deadline. It wants "an innovative, energetic and experienced coach" to lead the Boomers to the 2010 world championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London.
It is unsure which Australian coaches other than Goorjian might apply for the job, although Brendan Joyce and Gordon McLeod, who were his assistants at the Beijing Games, may have some interest in the role.
Former Boomers assistant Alan Black, who was on the bench at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics with head coach Barry Barnes, will not apply. He has thrown his unequivocal support behind Goorjian.
"I think Brian's done an excellent job and he should take the position," Black said.
"I'd be disappointed if BA went offshore. Brian's the pre-eminent NBL coach and I'd be very disappointed if BA went overseas to get someone.
"I don't think that's what Australian basketball needs."
The Opals job would appear to be a race in two between Tom Maher, the team's coach from 1992-2001 before going to the WNBA and China, and Carrie Graf, who was an assistant to Maher and also has two years' experience as a WNBA head coach.