Gregg Popovich豪言:「我可以永遠不退休!」
現年67歲,踏入執教生涯第29年的馬刺主帥Gregg Popovich,雖然經已獲獎無數,但依然仍未言休,日前更風趣地向傳媒表示可以永遠不退休。已經失去了忠臣Tim Duncan的馬刺球迷,相信暫且可放下心頭大石。
日前接受ESPN訪問的Popovich,被問及有否考慮退休問題時,就幽默地表示:「你知道發生了什麼事嗎?我已經中了圈套。」他繼續道,「我必須不斷向球員許下承諾,Manu (Ginobili)每年簽約的時候,都好像在想『你還會在這裡嗎?』,然後是Tony (Parker),還有Kawhi (Leonard)。到最近我們簽下LaMarcus (Aldridge)時,他彷似又在想『你還會在這裡嗎?』。事情就是這樣不斷重覆,所以我想我永遠都不會停下來,我可以永不言休。」
引用“You know what happened? I just got roped in,” Popovich said, via ESPN. “I had to keep making promises. Manu (Ginobili) was going to sign a few years back and he was like, ‘Are you going to be here?’ Tony (Parker), then Kawhi (Leonard). Then when we were recruiting LaMarcus (Aldridge), he was like, ‘Are you going to be here?’ it just goes on and on. So I guess I can never stop, I can never retire.”
帶領馬刺贏得五個總冠軍的Popovich,在球壇中被受尊敬。雖然屢次傳出他將會退位讓賢的消息,其中有指他將會隨Aldridge合約期滿而退隱,更彷似傳得言之鑿鑿。但即將在奧運會後接掌美國男籃的Popovich,可說是一次又一次以行動證明,打破一個又一個的退休傳聞。
資料來源: http://sportsnaut.com/2016/07/gregg-popovich-can-never-retire/