ESP – Spain sack gold-medal winning coach Pepu Hernandez

MADRID (Olympics) – Spanish basketball supremo Jose Luis Saez on Tuesday confirmed the federation’s firing of national team coach Pepu Hernandez.

Saez appeared at a press conference in Madrid to explain why Hernandez had been relieved of his duties just two months before the Olympics, a move which has thrown the world champions’ plans for the Beijing Games into disarray.

“I have no personal problems with Pepu,” said Saez, who further explained that Hernandez should not have been giving public speaking engagements.

“But he has used his position as national team coach to benefit himself without having the consent of the federation.”

Storm clouds have been gathering over the national team for several weeks, since Hernandez announced he would relinquish the reins after the Olympics.

Saez was unhappy by the manner of the announcement, and Hernandez’s position as Spain coach became muddled.

His position was on even shakier ground after not attending a meeting with his bosses at the FEB.

He called a press conference last week to firmly declare his intention to coach Spain at  the Olympics, but said he felt “persecuted” by the FEB.

Saez at the time said he wanted to review the comments made by Hernandez.

On Monday, the coach said he expected to be sacked, telling Telemadrid: "I feel that tomorrow (Tuesday), my dismissal will be made official.

“I feel calm because I haven´t committed any serious offense. If the problem was my announcement (decision to step down after the Olympics), I did it with time and in a correct manner.

“And if it´s due to the fact that I couldn´t attend last week´s meeting, I gave alternative times and dates to the federation."

Hernandez’s departure has come as shock to basketball fans in Spain because he was, and remains hugely popular for leading the country to its proudest moment in the game.

He worked under incredible strain at the FIBA World Championship in Japan, where he led the country to gold after losing star player Pau Gasol to a serious foot injury in the semi-final.

His father also died the day before the final.

Last year, Hernandez’s Spain suffered a last-second defeat to Russia in the gold medal game at the EuroBasket.

The FEB explained at Tuesday’s press conference, and listed on their website (www.feb.es) why Hernandez was not being retained.

The statement said:

“Having analysed the situation created in the aftermath of Jose Vicente Hernandez’s public statements of late, the Spanish Basketball Federation has decided that the national men’s coach will not remain in charge and the reasons are as follows:

1.       Non-compliance from Pepu Hernandez of the contractual agreements.

2.       A lack of respect to the FEB and to its executive members made in public without foundation while also stating accusations of “persecution” and “mistreatment”.

3.       The poor working conditions created by the previous two points with less than two months to go before the national team competes in the most important sporting event (Beijing Games).

 All of this has contributed to the deterioration which added to the strange circumstances already created on May 2 when a public and unilateral announcement of his decision to continue in charge until after the Olympics and it has inevitably led to the loss of trust needed to maintain the stability that the FEB has always tried to have with the 18 national teams and those who work with the teams.”

Saez said to the assembled media that no one has been appointed as Hernandez’s replacement.

“We have not found a successor,” Saez said.

“People have come forward, but no decision has been made and we will try to find a successor as soon as possible.”

Spain had been due to announce their squad for Beijing on June 10, but that is now unlikely.

FIBA