ESP - Spahija takes reins at Tau

VITORIA (ACB) - Neven Spahija has agreed to take over as coach of Spanish giants Tau Ceramica.

The much-travelled Croatian will be in charge for the next two years and replaces Serbian Bozidar Maljkovic, who left Tau earlier this month having taken over from Velimir Perasovic in March.

Perasovic, another Croatian, was forced to step down following a health scare.

The 44-year-old Spahija began his coaching career in 1996 with Granide Pula, and has since been in charge at a host of different clubs, including Cibona Zagreb,
Roseto, Lietuvos Rytas and, most recently, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, who he coached last season.

Spahija has enjoyed plenty of success during that time, winning league titles in Croatia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Israel, while he was named coach of the year in his homeland in 2000.

Spahija was also in charge of the Croatian national team, a position he resigned from at the end of EuroBasket 2005.

Last season, Tau reached the ACB play-offs and the Euroleague Final Four but were eliminated at the semi-final stages in both competitions.

Mike Perez
FIBA