TUR - Demirel: 'Men’s national team coaching decision next week'

ORCHIES (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Turkey have two coaching candidates for their men's national team for the EuroBasket in Slovenia, with an appointment expected next week.

Turgay Demirel, the President of the Turkish Basketball Federation, has spoken to FIBA.com in Orchies, France, where he is watching the women play in the European Championship.

"We are going to decide next week," Demirel said.

"We have two candidates and we are going to make a decision with our board.

"We just finished the Mediterranean Games and I flew to the European Championship for Women (EuroBasket Women), so when we're back, we're going to meet and then talk and decide with our board."

Demirel said that the federation had been in talks with CSKA Moscow boss Ettore Messina, one of the biggest names in the coaching profession, but confirmed the discussions with the Italian had ended.

"We had some negotiations going on with Messina," Demirel said.

"But he had a request, asking permission to go to an NBA team.

"Of course, we could not accept this because there would have been the possibility of him not being the coach of our national team and he could go to the NBA.

"So we asked him to do both at the same time, but he didn't want to do that, so we didn't sign him, not for this championship.

"So that forced us to change our strategy and we are going to decide next week."

The Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets were two NBA teams that had been linked with Messina but each has filled its coaching vacancy.

The Hawks have appointed long-time San Antonio Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer, and the Nets have made Jason Kidd their new coach.

Turkey have had a question mark over their national team coaching position since their EuroBasket disappointment two years ago.

Orhun Ene, a former assistant, was put in charge after Turkey's silver-medal winning performance at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but the team didn’t reach the Quarter-Finals in Lithuania and that ended the team’s hopes of competing in the London Games.

He left the position and Bogdan Tanjevic, Turkey’s coach at the World Championship in Istanbul, agreed to lead the team in the Qualification Round for EuroBasket 2013.

Turkey just hosted the Mediterranean Games in Mersin and Tanjevic led a young national side to the title in that competition with a victory over Serbia in the Final.

Afrobasket 2011 champions Tunisia captured the bronze medal.

Turkey's success in the Mediterranean Games put Demirel in a good mood.

"Unfortunately, it started almost immediately after our league season so we couldn’t get our best players to the team," Demirel said.

"But still, we had a young team and a promising team, and Serbia had the same and Tunisia, the African continental champion, had a full roster.

"So we had a good tournament. Our team accomplished what it was it was looking to do. The tournament was in Turkey, and the gold medal was important to us.

"We are now looking for a good performance from the senior national team in Slovenia."

The EuroBasket is a qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, with six spots up for grabs.

If World Cup hosts Spain have a top-six finish, then the first seven teams will clinch places for next year's big tournament.

FIBA