ISR/RUS – Blatt appointed coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv on three-year contract

TEL AVIV (2010 FIBA World Championship) - David Blatt is going to have his hands full this summer as the coach of Russia in a very tough Group C at the FIBA World Championship.

He’ll be putting a lot of concentration into his new job before then, though, after signing a three-year contract to coach European giants Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Blatt, widely acknowledged as one of the top coaches on the continent, is returning to Maccabi – a team he led to Israeli league crowns in 2002 and 2003.

His Maccabi team also reached the Euroleague Final Four in 2002.

Blatt, 51, has had a huge amount of success outside of Israel as well.

He guided Dynamo St Petersburg to an undefeated campaign in the FIBA Europe League and also steered Benetton Treviso to a Lega A title and a Coppa Italia win.

With Russia, Blatt made his mark on international basketball by turning a team that had no focus and confidence into a EuroBasket 2007 champion.

Having also coached Efes Pilsen and Dynamo Moscow in recent times, Blatt earlier this year replaced Fotis Katsikaris as coach of Aris Thessaloniki and led the team to the Eurocup Quarter-Finals, and also into the Greek play-offs.

"I'm glad to be home,” Blatt said after signing his contract on Friday morning.

“It’s a great honor for me to continue the work done by Gershon.”

“I want to return Maccabi Tel Aviv to its natural place where it should be in Israel and Europe.”

Maccabi reached the Euroleague Quarter-Finals this season and had home-court advantage but were upset by Partizan Belgrade.

Their season of frustration came to an end after Galil Gilboa upset them in the Israeli play-off final.

“There are so many people who love this wonderful club and want success, and working together, I believe we can have it," he said.

FIBA