GRE - Katsikaris takes reins of national team

ATHENS (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Greece on Wednesday morning announced that Fotis Katsikaris will coach the national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

The country's basketball federation decided long ago that Katsikaris would be their coach but was unable to confirm his appointment until they reached a financial settlement with his predecessor, Andrea Trinchieri, who coached the team at last year's EuroBasket in Slovenia.

Trinchieri still had a year to run on his contract when Greece elected to make a change.

Katsikaris, who was supposed to coach Russia at EuroBasket 2013 but parted ways with the team before even leading a practice after a shakeup in the country's basketball federation, now has 80 days before he takes the team to the FIBA's flagship event (30 August-14 September).

Greece, who came up short of the Quarter-Finals last summer and needed a wild card to take part at Spain 2014, will play in Group B against Croatia, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Senegal and the Philippines.

In a statement, the Greeks said: "The Greek Basketball Federation announces the agreement with Fotis Katsikaris, who undertakes the technical leadership of the national team and will guide it at the World Cup in Spain."

Katsikaris has established a solid reputation in his profession after coaching AEK, Dynamo St Petersburg, Valencia, Aris and Bilbao.

Having moved his family to Spain, he was planning to return home immediately on Wednesday and to be unveiled to the media by the Greeks in the coming days.

Katsikaris did say in the statement confirming his appointment that holding the reins of the No. 5 team in the FIBA Ranking Men was an immense "challenge".

"I want to thank you for your confidence in me and I promise that I will work with all my strength to fulfill the targets set," Katsikaris said.

"We all know the quality that there is and the great expectations of the Greeks from this group.

"We have many things to do…"

Katsikaris has a lot of insight into the Greek game as a former coach in the league.

Last summer, he served as a color commentator for Greek television at the EuroBasket.

FIBA