"It is such a strange feeling to watch a CSKA game not being its coach [Marousi vs. CSKA]," said the Italian specialist. "I could have never thought before that I would be sitting in the office of Andrey [Vatutin] and watching my former fosterlings – but with a different not coach-like look. You know, from that angle they look much better!"
"It is no wonder that the game of the Army men does not work out very well. You must take into account the problems with the squad that are haunting the team now."
"Without Kaun and Vorontsevich CSKA lacks height and power in the paint. It is no sense speaking about Smodis – he is the hardest loss."
"So all these causes the easily predicted troubles. But when these players return to the team the things will straighten out."
"Here on the CSKA arena I felt as if I returned home though I understand that it is no longer mine. My home is now in Madrid."
"But I do not feel there the way I felt in Moscow. The changes were great and so little time passed. I think that if I had returned to Moscow after half a year in Spain the emotions would not have been so strong."
"The match Marousi vs. CSKA is the first I see this season with the Army men performing. And at first I had thoughts what would I have done in this situation but I got rid of them and just watched the match."
"To take over CSKA is not the worst thing that can happen to a coach. On the contrary you can have such a chance once in your life."
"So do not hurry to sympathize with Evgeniy Pashutin for facing such a difficult year. He has a most important year of coaching a serious club [Spartak St. Petersburg] under belt. And moreover this year turned rather successful. And Now Evgeniy will solve new problems in a new team."
"The conditions for that are good. He has support of fans and managements. The main difficulty is the injury of Smodis."
"But in all other aspects the potentials of this team suggest that it can successfully perform in the Euroleague Top-16 and even Final Four. One cannot just treat these goals for granted. CSKA is at the beginning of its new long way. And excessive expectations can only do harm."
"There is no difference between the former CSKA and current at the three-point line. But the big line has changed. What will it lead to? That depends on the progress of Kaun and Sokolov. And the returning of Smodis…"
"At present it is deciding time for young players Vorontsevich, Ponkrashov and Kurbanov. They will probably have no more chances of the kind. They must prove that they are able to play determinant parts in such big a club as CSKA. And I think they are ready."
"And Khryapa is the key player of the team! In the last season and especially now when he became captain of the team."
"Of course I pick out Viktor. Such players are immensely scarce now. They so not just play but make their partners better – a very important feature."
"Khryapa is a kind of glue that sticks the five together both in offense and defence. He is in time everywhere: assists, shots, rebounds, blockshots, steals. That is amazing how the game of CSKA changes depending on the presence or absence of Khryapa on the court."
