“As a team we don’t have a ceiling”
MADRID, 29 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish basketball team player Jaime Fernández recognized the “very painful” loss due to an injury to Sergio Llull, “a captain” who contributes “on the court and off it”, although he sees it positive that his replacement is Alberto Díaz because ” He knows the systems, the team and he hardly has to adapt”.
“The loss of Sergio (Llull) is very painful for us, obviously what he gives us on the pitch is a lot and outside he is a captain. It has been a strong setback for us,” said Jaime Fernández at a press conference the day before travel to Georgia for Eurobasket 2022.
His replacement will be Alberto Díaz, Unicaja point guard, who had left the concentration in the first cut due to physical problems, from which he has already recovered. “Now Alberto has come, I know him well personally and he knows the systems, the team and we are delighted with him, he hardly even has to adapt because he has been with us relatively recently,” he said.
Therefore, Fernández highlighted the work of his partner Alberto Díaz.
“Back is a defensive bulwark and in attack he can always help contributing what he knows. He is effective in everything he does and comes to add”, added the one who has been his partner in Unicaja in recent seasons.
Currently the selection has 14 members, so two new discards will have to be known before the Eurobasket. “It is something that is there, in the environment, and it is part of what it is to be in the concentration and I think that the group is united, the group is calm”, he commented.
Jaime Fernández explains that “as a player” what they have to do is put their “work on the court” and try to avoid what cannot be “controlled”. “When you agree to come in the summer you know this is part of the job and we’ll see what happens.” he added he.
Personally, he is “calm” with his possibilities. “I still have that uncertainty but I am calm. I have tried to do my best in the preparation, I have given everything of myself, therefore I am calm. I feel within the group, one more and what has to come will be. I have the mind day to day and for me every day is a gift”, he declared.
“AS A TEAM WE HAVE NO CEILING”
Although the preparation has not been very prolific in terms of results, Fernández believes that it will serve to learn. “We have discussed from within certain aspects that we have to correct, each one looking at their navel first and then at the group level. As a team we have no ceiling, we have to keep working, every day is an opportunity to improve,” he assured.
“Personally, I focus on trying to help in both positions, both point guard and shooting guard, not losing balls, being solid at the back, making sure the team plays as well as possible when I’m a point guard and each of us has certain aspects. that we have been asked to take a step forward,” he explained.
From inside, he comments that there is no concern, but that they try to do “the best possible”. “We are not worried, we are busy knowing the responsibility that wearing this shirt has, knowing what we have come from behind, what we have all experienced, and it is a responsibility and we are trying to do the best we can”, he stressed.
“Here you don’t have to measure a rival or anything, you have to start from the first moment at the top. We know that Spain, for all its history, is respected and that everyone is a rival to beat,” he concluded.