I read somewhere that two players from the national team got infected with the swine flu (Joau Figeyredo and Diogo Carreira). I wonder if there is any relation to the Christiano Ronaldo rumors that started spreading since yesterday..
No, those aren't rumours, both of them got infected. Don't know about Ronaldo. It´s João FigueiredoOriginally Posted by ArnoldPettybone
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Guard José Costa retired from the national team at 35.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_0L3aO...frontpage.htmlPortugal Coach Give Thumbs-Up To EuroBasket Expansion
Portugal's coach Moncho Lopez has praised FIBA Europe's decision to raise the number of teams from 16 to 24 for EuroBasket 2013.
The Portuguese won the hearts of all the spectators with a solid display at EuroBasket 2007 in Spain but missed out on EuroBasket 2009, falling in the Additional Qualifying Round.
The national team coach, Lopez, said: "This is fantastic news for Portugal. I think we now have more chances to qualify for EuroBasket 2013," he said to Basketball World News.
"Above all this move from FIBA Europe is a boost for the Portuguese players who are aiming to appear in such an important competition.
"This event is the showpiece of European Basketball that everyone wishes to take part in."
Lopez knows very well how special the EuroBasket is.
Seven years ago, he coached a young Spanish team that included Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro to the silver medal in Sweden.
"This decision decreases at a certain point the load we had on our shoulders to face more experienced opponents," Lopez said.
"In some cases, we had to play well beyond our limits."
As for Portugal this summer, Moncho is seeking to make some improvements.
"I'll promote two or three young players I have been monitoring for some time," he said.
"I'll be making their names public in the near future."
Portugal will gather on July 4 to start their preparations for a tough Division A campaign in the hope of reaching next year's EuroBasket in Lithuania.
Lopez's team are in group C along with Georgia, Belgium, Bulgaria and Poland.
"In theory our opponents are better than us," he said.
"But we are experienced enough to know that games must be won on the court, not on theoretical concepts.
"Bulgaria and Poland are the strongest opponents of the group."
Belgium will be no pushovers, either, as France discovered last summer when the Belgians won the first game of the Additional Qualifying Round Final against Les Bleus.
To get into that AQR Final, Belgium had to beat the Portuguese.
"Last year we lost two games to Belgium, but we showed that we can play at same level," Lopez said.
"Honestly, Georgia is an unknown team for me.
"I don't know much about their game.
"Facing those teams at home with the presence of our supporters will be a great experience for of us."
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Slovenia have expressed their interest to host EuroBasket 2013.
Would Portugal be ambitious and add their name to the list of candidate countries?
"Portugal has the infrastructures, good press and basketball fans who live the game intensively, but it is not my decision if Portugal should bid to host the EuroBasket. Personally, I would love to see it happen."
Last year, Lopez accepted the dual-challenge of leading both Portugal's national side and FC Porto.
He's taken the opportunity and run with it, guiding FC Porto into this season domestic play-off Finals.
They face an uphill battle to win the title, though.
Porto are 2-0 down against their arch rivals Benfica in the best-of-seven series.
Next Friday, Porto will host Benfica in Game 3.
"We will turn this result around," Lopez said.
"I expected more from my players in the first two games, but Benfica played well and showed some quality."
Portugal will start their EuroBasket 2011 preparations on July 4 with a preliminary squad of 14 player.
Lopez will then reduce the group to 12 before takes off.
Portugal expect to play in an international tournament with Angola and Jordan, two teams that will play at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey in the summer.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
.
The Portuguese team for the 2011 Eurobasket Qualifying games:
Guards:Mário Fernandes (CAB Madeira), Pedro Pinto (Barreirense) e Miguel Minhava (Benfica).
Forwards: Miguel Graça (Barreirense), Carlos Andrade (FC Porto), Jaime Silva (Vitória de Guimarães), João Gomes (Breogan, Esp), João Santos (Benfica) e Heshimu Evans (Benfica).
Centers: Jorge Coelho (FC Porto), Miguel Miranda (Ovarense), Nuno Cortez (Ovarense), David Gomes (FC Porto), André Pinto (Ovarense) e Francisco Jordão (1º Agosto, Ang)
I don't get this selection!
I hope there is a good reason for the absence of Filipe Da Silva just to mention one!
He had a great season, almost reaching triple-doubles in some games when it seemed that his career had reached a dead end. And French Pro B is still better than LPB. I also fail to understand his exclusion.
And Jordão being called again? I thought he had been (self) "banned" for good.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Also if he wants to get some youth in the team how about Manuel Sicó instead of André Pinto i would never leave Filipe Da Silva out!
Plus the first two options at guard are going to have difficulties at the defensive end. Minhava is just not that a good a defender and Mário Fernandes is just short.
Paulo Cunha i would like to see him there, but i can understand because he was injured for most of the season.
At last if he doesn't go for João Gomes as the naturalized player it would be rather odd, since is going all for youth and development. But i do agree Evans should be there as backup.
Filipe Da Silva has retired from the National Team after not being called by Moncho Lopez.
I don't blame him!
Neither do I... Great job Moncho. Still, I hope he reconsiders when there's another head coach in the NT.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Just wanted to leave a quick word for Valentyn Melnychuk who has retired has a coach!
He took the Portuguese team to the Eurobasket 2007 where Portuguese achieved a great 9th Place!
Diogo Carreira has been left out of the national team due to illness.
He has a benign tumour that is being treated during the summer.
Hope all goes well!
Francisco Jordão and Nuno Cortez failed to report to the NT, will suffer consequences. Why did they even bother to call Jordão
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
I fell things are not going very well! We are going to need a miracle...Francisco Jordão and Nuno Cortez failed to report to the NT, will suffer consequences. Why did they even bother to call Jordão
It might be too early to point this out, and I hope it is, but Moncho Lopez hasn't brought anything good to team yet. I don't see this changing any time soon.
I hope i am wrong!
José Silva has joined the National Team to replace some absences!
Portugal 67-70 Finland
The Stats
Does anyone know if the qualification games will be televised?
At least the home games will be televised in Portugal. Tomorrow 20h30, Portugal-Bulgaria, SportTV1.
"See you in another life, Brother"
Moncho López could leave Portuguese NT. After some controversial affirmations, where he said some players refused to play the last game vs. Georgia, FPB will assemble and decide his future.
"See you in another life, Brother"
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
