GRE - Greece NT boss Zouros out at Zalgiris

KAUNAS (Euroleague) - Nearly everything went according to plan for Greece coach Ilias Zouros during the EuroBasket in Lithuania, where he steered the national team to a sixth-place finish and into the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Nothing has gone according to plan since his return to Zalgiris Kaunas, though, with the club deciding this week to part with the Greek coach after their season-opening defeat in the Euroleague to CSKA Moscow.

The Russian giants, with Andrei Kirilenko scoring 17 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking four shots, won 87-74 in Kaunas on Monday.

Club owner Vladimir Romanov believed the players, who had won three games in Lithuania's top flight and two of three in the VTB United League, were out of form.

Zouros, who will next summer coach the Greeks when they try to claim one of the three spots on offer for the London Games at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, is disappointed by Zalgiris' decision to let him go but isn't bitter.

"I enjoyed working with Zalgiris, who last season won three titles - the Lithuanian championship, Baltic Basketball Leagues and Lithuanian Basketball Federation Cup," he said.

"I hoped that this season, we would achieve good results. However, the coach's life is unpredictable."

Lithuania's national team boss Kestutis Kemzura is being linked with the Zalgiris job in the nation's media.

Zouros isn't likely to be out of work for long.

Named Eurocup coach of the year in 2010 after leading Panellinios on a surprising run to the Final Four, he is now one of the biggest names on the market.

FIBA