FIBA Basketball
GER - Rödl learns the ropes
BERLIN (FIBA World Championship) - Alba Berlin coach Henrik Rödl knows titles.He won an NCAA crown with the University of North Carolina in 1993 under legendary coach Dean Smith and then helped Germany capture EuroBasket gold the same year under Svetislav Pesic. Rödl played on seven straight German league championship teams with Alba Berlin (1997-2003) and during that time he tasted glory in the Korac Cup (1995), won four German Cups and also celebrated bronze with Germany at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis in 2002
BERLIN (FIBA World Championship) - Alba Berlin coach Henrik Rödl knows titles.
He won an NCAA crown with the University of North Carolina in 1993 under legendary coach Dean Smith and then helped Germany capture EuroBasket gold the same year under Svetislav Pesic. Rödl played on seven straight German league championship teams with Alba Berlin (1997-2003) and during that time he tasted glory in the Korac Cup (1995), won four German Cups and also celebrated bronze with Germany at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis in 2002.
Even at Chapel Hill High School, Rödl shone. He won a state title, which helped pave the way for a successful college career with the Tar Heels. All the titles in the world as a player don't guarantee you success as a coach.
In their first full season with Rödl at the helm, Alba did not advance from the first round of the ULEB Cup but Rödl has the team perched atop the German league standings in a dog-fight with defending champions Bamberg. And Rödl's team have achieved this despite the loss of Croatian national team forward and captain Matej Mamic to injury midway through the season.
PA Sport's David Hein caught up with the Alba Berlin coach in the catacombs of Berlin's Max Schmeling Halle on behalf of FIBA.
FIBA: Coach Rödl, you were known during your playing days as a tenacious defender who would lock down the opposing team's top scorer while being an excellent passer and team player on offence. How would you define your coaching style?
Rödl: A coach has to adapt to the players he has. Of course we'd like to play up tempo ball, but I think we have been able to play defensively very aggressive and unselfish. I guess that's not that far from me as a player but I've had great teachers who have taught me the importance of defense and team chemistry. And I've had the luxury of being coached by some very different coaches - all of whom have put a mark on me.
FIBA: Would the player Henrik Rödl like playing for the coach Henrik Rödl?
Rödl: I hope so. Yeah, I think so. We (Alba) try to create a positive atmosphere, a professional atmosphere with the team. We're all about winning. And those things would have attracted me as a player as well.
FIBA: You have played for Germany and helped them achieve some of the finest moments in their history. What do you think about the country's chances at the FIBA World Championship in Japan - and beyond?
Rödl: Everything depends on how long Dirk (Nowitzki) will play. The team has really good chemistry. It will be tough when he finally leaves. We'll have to figure out a way to compensate for him. This team now is really good. It's not just Dirk. They've played so long and so well together. Of course we don't have five NBA guys. But we play so well together and coach (Dirk) Bauermann prepares the team so well. They can win a lot of games.
FIBA: What about Bauermann, who is one of your top opponents in the German league as Bamberg coach?
Rödl: I've always had a lot of respect for him. I played in 1994 for him with the national team. He has changed some since then but even back then I liked his intensity. He's been through some tough times but has come out of them very well.
FIBA: Before taking over as Alba coach in January 2005, you had only coached the club's amateur team TuS Lichterfelde following your retirement the previous season. What would you say is the biggest thing you need to work on as a coach?
Rödl: You just learn so much every day. The experience you get every day is a big factor - on and off the court. Everybody comes with a certain experience, and I'd say that's what I'm lacking the most. And that's what I have to learn the most - just the day-to-day things. But we're growing every day. And that's the fun of it.
FIBA: The team started the season strongly in the German league but struggled to six straight losses in failing to advance from the first round of the ULEB Cup, what did you and the team learn from that experience?
Rödl: It was very difficult, especially since our goals were higher than what we reached in the ULEB cup. But we learned how to deal with disappointments and try to learn from those experiences to get better results next time. And you learn about different situations and how to do something differently the next time. You have to accept as a coach that there are things you can't control like injuries. But you have to be creative and try new things to overcome those tough times.
FIBA: It was a tough time this season when Matej Mamic suffered that nasty fall in a Bundesliga game. There were fears he might be paralysed but now he's well on the road to recovery and even hopes to play this season again. You are actually pretty close to Matej, what did seeing him go down mean to you and how much does he mean to the team?
Rödl: He means a lot to the team. We found that out in the days and weeks after the fall. I had entrusted him as my captain and given him the most responsibility. Right now, you can see how even the hardest situations turn out to have a positive aspect. He will start some rehab with the guys pretty soon. And he's starting to be around the team more and more. And that's a help for us. The injury not being as serious as we thought has helped our guys getting over it.
FIBA: The German BBL league decided recently to expand the league by two teams starting next season. What do you think about the move?
Rödl: I think for the teams playing in the Euroleague and other European competitions, it will make it tougher for them to focus on those competitions because you now have to get in even more games. And I'm not sure how much it will raise the level of the game in Germany. That remains to be seen. Also, we'll have to see what kind of play-off mode is formed. If it stays how it is now (the top eight teams of the 16-team league making the play-offs), there will be even more teams not making the play-offs. And that may lead to more games not being as exciting at the end of the season. I understand the reasoning, but it remains to be seen how it makes the league better.
FIBA: You've been around the game of basketball for more than a decade. How have the American players coming to Europe changed over the years?
Rödl: First off, European basketball and world basketball have caught up. It's not a given that the United States will win the Worlds or the Olympics. The best basketball is a mix of all schools. And it's fun to watch. But in the US, the focus in college is more on athleticism and athletic potential - and less on the schooling. And coaches have to do that because guys are leaving early (for the professional game). A lot more depends on a team's success in the short term than teaching guys the game. And in that, the learning gets lost. Europe has shown how much better guys can be if the schooling is longer and not as focused on athleticism. It all started when I finished college (in 1993). Guys started leaving early, and I think it's detrimental to the game. They can't develop. Coaches have to think short term. If a guy is talented he's only going to be there one year.
FIBA: And what about changes in the international guys heading to the States in the same period?
Rödl: They have caught up on the athleticism or the emphasis on athleticism. But the coaches have more time for the players and pay more attention to the players. Youngsters in Yugoslavia or Spain get a long contract if they're talented. They invest in the kids. They give lots of time to (Pau) Gasol and other guys. Imagine how good American kids would be if they were in a talent factory like Barcelona or Belgrade for five years.
By PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA
He won an NCAA crown with the University of North Carolina in 1993 under legendary coach Dean Smith and then helped Germany capture EuroBasket gold the same year under Svetislav Pesic. Rödl played on seven straight German league championship teams with Alba Berlin (1997-2003) and during that time he tasted glory in the Korac Cup (1995), won four German Cups and also celebrated bronze with Germany at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis in 2002.
Even at Chapel Hill High School, Rödl shone. He won a state title, which helped pave the way for a successful college career with the Tar Heels. All the titles in the world as a player don't guarantee you success as a coach.
In their first full season with Rödl at the helm, Alba did not advance from the first round of the ULEB Cup but Rödl has the team perched atop the German league standings in a dog-fight with defending champions Bamberg. And Rödl's team have achieved this despite the loss of Croatian national team forward and captain Matej Mamic to injury midway through the season.
PA Sport's David Hein caught up with the Alba Berlin coach in the catacombs of Berlin's Max Schmeling Halle on behalf of FIBA.
FIBA: Coach Rödl, you were known during your playing days as a tenacious defender who would lock down the opposing team's top scorer while being an excellent passer and team player on offence. How would you define your coaching style?
Rödl: A coach has to adapt to the players he has. Of course we'd like to play up tempo ball, but I think we have been able to play defensively very aggressive and unselfish. I guess that's not that far from me as a player but I've had great teachers who have taught me the importance of defense and team chemistry. And I've had the luxury of being coached by some very different coaches - all of whom have put a mark on me.
FIBA: Would the player Henrik Rödl like playing for the coach Henrik Rödl?
Rödl: I hope so. Yeah, I think so. We (Alba) try to create a positive atmosphere, a professional atmosphere with the team. We're all about winning. And those things would have attracted me as a player as well.
FIBA: You have played for Germany and helped them achieve some of the finest moments in their history. What do you think about the country's chances at the FIBA World Championship in Japan - and beyond?
Rödl: Everything depends on how long Dirk (Nowitzki) will play. The team has really good chemistry. It will be tough when he finally leaves. We'll have to figure out a way to compensate for him. This team now is really good. It's not just Dirk. They've played so long and so well together. Of course we don't have five NBA guys. But we play so well together and coach (Dirk) Bauermann prepares the team so well. They can win a lot of games.
FIBA: What about Bauermann, who is one of your top opponents in the German league as Bamberg coach?
Rödl: I've always had a lot of respect for him. I played in 1994 for him with the national team. He has changed some since then but even back then I liked his intensity. He's been through some tough times but has come out of them very well.
FIBA: Before taking over as Alba coach in January 2005, you had only coached the club's amateur team TuS Lichterfelde following your retirement the previous season. What would you say is the biggest thing you need to work on as a coach?
Rödl: You just learn so much every day. The experience you get every day is a big factor - on and off the court. Everybody comes with a certain experience, and I'd say that's what I'm lacking the most. And that's what I have to learn the most - just the day-to-day things. But we're growing every day. And that's the fun of it.
FIBA: The team started the season strongly in the German league but struggled to six straight losses in failing to advance from the first round of the ULEB Cup, what did you and the team learn from that experience?
Rödl: It was very difficult, especially since our goals were higher than what we reached in the ULEB cup. But we learned how to deal with disappointments and try to learn from those experiences to get better results next time. And you learn about different situations and how to do something differently the next time. You have to accept as a coach that there are things you can't control like injuries. But you have to be creative and try new things to overcome those tough times.
FIBA: It was a tough time this season when Matej Mamic suffered that nasty fall in a Bundesliga game. There were fears he might be paralysed but now he's well on the road to recovery and even hopes to play this season again. You are actually pretty close to Matej, what did seeing him go down mean to you and how much does he mean to the team?
Rödl: He means a lot to the team. We found that out in the days and weeks after the fall. I had entrusted him as my captain and given him the most responsibility. Right now, you can see how even the hardest situations turn out to have a positive aspect. He will start some rehab with the guys pretty soon. And he's starting to be around the team more and more. And that's a help for us. The injury not being as serious as we thought has helped our guys getting over it.
FIBA: The German BBL league decided recently to expand the league by two teams starting next season. What do you think about the move?
Rödl: I think for the teams playing in the Euroleague and other European competitions, it will make it tougher for them to focus on those competitions because you now have to get in even more games. And I'm not sure how much it will raise the level of the game in Germany. That remains to be seen. Also, we'll have to see what kind of play-off mode is formed. If it stays how it is now (the top eight teams of the 16-team league making the play-offs), there will be even more teams not making the play-offs. And that may lead to more games not being as exciting at the end of the season. I understand the reasoning, but it remains to be seen how it makes the league better.
FIBA: You've been around the game of basketball for more than a decade. How have the American players coming to Europe changed over the years?
Rödl: First off, European basketball and world basketball have caught up. It's not a given that the United States will win the Worlds or the Olympics. The best basketball is a mix of all schools. And it's fun to watch. But in the US, the focus in college is more on athleticism and athletic potential - and less on the schooling. And coaches have to do that because guys are leaving early (for the professional game). A lot more depends on a team's success in the short term than teaching guys the game. And in that, the learning gets lost. Europe has shown how much better guys can be if the schooling is longer and not as focused on athleticism. It all started when I finished college (in 1993). Guys started leaving early, and I think it's detrimental to the game. They can't develop. Coaches have to think short term. If a guy is talented he's only going to be there one year.
FIBA: And what about changes in the international guys heading to the States in the same period?
Rödl: They have caught up on the athleticism or the emphasis on athleticism. But the coaches have more time for the players and pay more attention to the players. Youngsters in Yugoslavia or Spain get a long contract if they're talented. They invest in the kids. They give lots of time to (Pau) Gasol and other guys. Imagine how good American kids would be if they were in a talent factory like Barcelona or Belgrade for five years.
By PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA