SLO - Becirovic tabbed as Zdovc’s successor

LJUBLJANA (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Slovenia were one of the big surprises at EuroBasket 2009 in Poland under Jure Zdovc, achieving a best-ever fourth-place finish in the competition.

Now they have a new coach ready to build on that success following the appointment of Memi Becirovic.

The veteran tactician was named boss of Slovenia's national team over the Christmas break and he is already looking ahead to the 2010 FIBA World Championship, where the Slovenians will take on Team USA, Brazil, Croatia, Iran and Tunisia in Group B.

"I expect for us to continue the successes that Ales Pipan and Jure Zdovc had before me," Becirovic said.

"I understand the responsibilities, and I feel able to lead Slovenia at the World Championship in Turkey to the place that it certainly deserves."

Ales Pipan guided Slovenia to a place in the 2006 FIBA World Championship and then steered them to a place in the Quarter-Finals at EuroBasket 2007, which earned them a spot at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Last year, Slovenia, playing excellent defense under Zdovc, came within an eyelash of reaching the Final of the EuroBasket in Poland but they lost to Serbia in overtime and then slipped to a one-point defeat to Greece in the bronze-medal game.

The EuroBasket campaign was nevertheless deemed a huge success for Slovenia and Zdovc was trumpeted as one of the competition’s best coaches.

Also the coach of Union Olimpija in Ljubljana, Zdovc decided not to continue with the national team because of the heavy workload of holding two coaching jobs.

One of Zdovc's players at Union Olimpija is Sani Becirovic, the son of Memi, but he wasn't able to represent the national side at the EuroBasket in Poland.

Bostjan Nachbar did play for Zdovc in Poland, however, and he is optimistic about Turkey.

Nachbar, who was at the 2010 FIBA World Championship draw in mid-December, said: "I know him as a person because I am a great friend with his son, Sani.

"He is a very open person who is always prepared to talk and listen. I like that. He listens to the players. He has a feeling how to talk to a person.

"I will definitely accept his call to the national team. I said many times that the coach is no problem for me. The most important thing for me is that I am healthy and not tired, especially in my mind."

A player who hardly played last summer because of injuries was captain Matjaz Smodis and he figures to have a prominent role this year in Turkey if healthy.

"We will see how we do at the World Championship in Turkey," Smodis said to Talkbasket.

"I am sorry that Jure Zdovc left us. We had a great chemistry together but this is also a great basis for future work, that's why I regret his decision but on the other hand, I respect it.

"Whoever would have been picked for coach of the national team would have a hard job to be better than him.

"It is hard to step into the shoes of a coach after such an achievement. Coach Becirovic will definitely have a very difficult job."

For now, Becirovic is focused on leading Oostende in Belgium’s top flight.

FIBA