GER - Bauermann opts for Germany over Bamberg

BAMBERG (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) – Bamberg boss Dirk Bauermann on Monday announced he will give up his club coaching spot to remain in charge of Germany’s national team.

Bauermann and the German Basketball Federation (DBB) have agreed on a new five-year deal with Bamberg granting the 50-year-old an early release from the contract that tied him to the club until 2009.

"There are things to be done for German basketball which are so important that they require 100% dedication - also time-wise,” Bauermann said at a press conference in Bamberg on Monday.

“That's why I made this decision."

Bauermann was forced to make a decision between Bamberg and Germany after both the BBL and DBB announced they would not allow someone to be the coach of a club, and a national team at the same time.

When addressing what the future holds for him with Germany, he said: "After the Olympic Games, we will have the rebuilding of the men's national team, which will surely not be easy and demand time and effort.

“I also want to work intensively on the current structures and try to improve them. Among other things, we want to optimize the training sessions of our national teams."

Bauermann, who took over as Germany's national team coach in 2003 and led them to the silver medal at EuroBasket 2005, said he also wants to invest more time and money in various initiatives to develop the game at the youth level.

"I am really happy that Dirk Bauermann decided for us and that we have this professional and expert over the long term to work on the rebuilding of the senior national team," said DBB President Ingo Weiss.

The announcement comes just three days after Bamberg, who played in the Euroleague this season, bowed out of the BBL play-offs.

Bamberg managing director Wolfgang Heyder thanked Bauermann for his years of service, which included leading Bamberg to the 2005 and 2007 German league titles - the eighth and ninth German crowns in his career - as well as finals appearances in 2003 and 2004 since taking over at Bamberg in 2001.

"Dirk Bauermann asked me to release him from his contract and I complied,” Heyder said.

“Dirk gave as much to Bamberg basketball as few others. Besides leading the club to numerous successes, he also worked on making our program more professional."

Bauermann will now attempt to lead Germany into the 2008 Olympics. His team will take on Cape Verde and New Zealand in Group B of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens in July.

If they finish in the top two, Germany will take on Greece, Brazil or Lebanon in the quarter-finals.

There will be 12 teams at the qualifying event gunning for three spots in Beijing.

FIBA