Ramūnas Butautas interview

[TalkBasket]

Lietuvos rytas daily published interview with Lithuania NT head coach Ramunas Butautas. Original text here.

- Do you miss that electric chair in which Lithaunia NT coaches have to sit in?

- I do. I am already thinking about next summer. Quite often I think about NT play, tactics, preparation camps. I try to think what players will represent the team. I keep a contact with all the players from the NT. I spoke with Robertas Kuncaitis (assistant coach) and he said that he is waiting for summer too. I constantly speak with Rimas Kurtinaitis, Lithuanian basketball federation headquarters, we all coordinate our plans and don't leave those things forgotten.

- What is the first thing that you remember when thinking about Eurobasket in Spain?

- The first thing i remember is a loss against Russia in the semi-final. We had an opportunity to play in the final and rise above at least by one palce. I often think why we failed to do that.

I remember a constant tension and quarter final game against Croatia when the luck smiled to us. But they say the luck is on the strongest side. We were really lucky that Croatia missed those free-throws. Of course I remember the night when we won bronze and the fans delight.

It is very important that we qualified for the olympics without additional qualifying tournament. I try to avoid sentiments but it's always a pleasure to remember when before the end of the final we went outside arena and we met a group of Lithuanian fans and they got down on their marrowbones instead of us. I will never forget this.

- You didn't take a single record with Lithuania's matches in Eurobasket to Riga. Haven't you watched a single match yet?

- I don't have the records. I spoke with NT scout Donaldas Kairys. He has all the records.

ASK Riga schedule is very tight. We play every three days so I have to analyze our and our opponents game, prepare for the games. As much as I wanted I wouldn't find the time to watch Eurobasket games.

- There are less than 8 months until Olympics. Is it much or little?

- I think there's something else to worry about. Olympics start on the August 8th whiel Greek and Italian championships finish at the end of June. NT will have only a month to get fresh, charge the batteries and make a game plan. However, I hope to see a few new faces in the NT and that will force us to change our defensive and attacking tactics. We'll have an incredibly little time to do that.

- You'd prefer if Olympics will start in September just like Eurobasket?

- I guess no coach would say that it is good to play in August. Everyone wants to have more time to prepare for the games. Olympics are exceptionally important event.

- Your father Stepas Butautas won silver in 1952 Helsinki Olympics. What do Olympics mean to you?

- Olympics were very important for my father. He used to remember the games often. Especially when there was a real chance to win gold because USSR lost to Americans only in end of the game. He has told me even about warm up: Americans could easily touch the ceiling by jumping from their standing position while USSR players had to run and jump and could touch the ceiling only with their fingertips.

I think that for a coach and for a player Olympics is top of their career. We will be going for medals in Beijing and I will do everything to achieve that.

- LKF (Lithuanian Basketball Federation) decided to start the training camp on June 20th. How many players do you expect to have in the first training camp?

- In the first training camp we'll have only those players whose championships will be over in May or in the beginning of June. They'll have some time witout basketball so they'll start preparing earlier. The hardest job will be to join the rest of the players. Players are psychologically tired after the season, you have to miss basketball, to rest from it but next year there will be no time for that.

- So the full squad will have only a few weeks of training?

- There are still 8 months until Olympics and it's too early to guess what will happen. All I know is that all the NT members declared their wish to play in Olympics and that delights me. We had a really great collective in Eurobasket and I have no doubt that it helped us to win a ticket to Beijing. I am optimistic about the future but we have to wait.

- Arvydas Macijauskas told that after a good game you congratulate him, you communicate via SMS. Is he a player that you missed most in Eurobasket?

- I am sure he would strengthen the team. A player of such style and skill is wanted by any team. His huge contract with Olympiacos confirms that. I am glad about his great form and determination. And his quotes in media about Olympics delights me.

- Do you keep contact with Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas?

- I haven't spoken with him this season yet. New Year is coming and I will congratulate every player. I will also call to Zydrunas.

- Maybe you already see a player who could equally substitute Sarunas Jasikevicius in the NT?

- There is no second Jasikevicius, for sure. He is a basketball talent. His fighting spirit and sacrificing for the team makes him a unique player. I don't know if we have another player like him ever again. Sarunas raised the standard for all the player on the court. Now everything is measured according him. All I can say is that Lithuania is a basketball country and we'll have talents in the future. But in the nearest reserves I can't see second Jasikevicius.

- Do you closely follow NT players in their clubs?

- I have bougth a satelite in Riga so I can see lots of games. I watch Olympiacos, Montepaschi, CSKA Moscow, Unics Kazan matches - if I see that a Lithuanian player is playing, I always watch.

- This year Arturas Jomantas and Marijonas Petravicius are playing very well in the Euroleague. Are these players among candidates for the NT?

- I wanted to see them in the training camps this year already and I have invited them, but because of different reasons they couldn't come. At the moment the level of their play is the one that I imagined. But we have to wait for the summer first.

- How to find a place for all the stars in Lithuanian "Dream Team"? Who will lose a place in teh team?

- That's a problem but it's pleasing to me. It is really hard for the coach when you have to leave a good player outside the team. On the other hand every coach dreams about large choice. We have to wait until season ends. Dream are not a real thing. The history shows that unexpected things can turn everything upside down.

- Will there be 12 players preparing for the Olympics with second team training nearby, like this year?

- We have one opinion that the second team is needed so we are going to continue training that way. We couldn't fullfil all our plans last summer because of university games. Next year we'll try to do everything as planned: train together and send players from one team to another. Second team will go to tournaments (frinedly) because there will be more offers than we need before Olympics. We also have to think about 2011 Eurobasket and 2012 Olympics. It doesn't matter wether I'll still be the head coach but I can't leave an empty space. So we will be taking care of new generation. At the moment I have 25 players on the list. I am going to add a few more young players. The most important positions are center and point guard.

- The preparation plan is clear but not all opponents in friendly games are known. Are you waiting for the draw?

- The draw will be made very late - only in April. The preparation must be planned earlier. So we will have to risk and make decisions before the draw ceremony. A few weeks ago we refused to play in friendly tournament in Macau where we could face USA and Russia because those teams will be among main rivals in the fight for the medals. That's enough - we already lost against Russia once.

- So that means that Russians will not come to Vilnius to play traditional Federations supercup?

- If we refused to play in Macau, then we won't play against them in Lithuania either.

- Is there another tournament planned before Olympics in Asia?

- I spoke with LKF general secretary Mindaugas Balčiūnas and suggested to organize a tournament in Asia by ourselves because we will have to acclimatize there. If we can arrange tournaments in Vilnius or Kaunas, why couldn't we do that in Asia too? You rent training base, hotels, invite the teams and you're done. But we have lots of suggestions and offers so there are no final decisions yet.

- But the plans to play series of games in Spain will not be changed?

- We will definatelly fly to Spain. We'll play twice against Spain and Angola.

- How much time it will take to acclimatize in Asia?

- We plan to fly there 10 days before the games start, even though the doctors recommend to fly there 14 days before the games. We think that it would be to much. Two weeks before the Olympics and then 3 weeks in Olympics could depress the players psychologically. The optimal choice is to go 8-10 days before the games.

- Lithuania NT usually reach its best form later, when the main games start. Aren't you afraid of losses in friendly games like it happened this summer?

- I can honestly say that it is unpleasant to remember those losses against Latvia and Sweden. But they were natural, because all the coaches changed in the NT, players gathered after not playing together for a long time. The time was needed to revive the connections. The defense and offense changed and we had to overcome painful times. We had to defeat Swedes and Latvian even when playing poorly, but we failed. It is still unpleasant. In Latvia I am constantly reminded that they deafeated us. That offends me. I think that next year we won't have to make such experiments like we did last summer. But if Ilgauskas and Macijauskas play, we will inevitably have to amend our tactics.

- LKF president, Vladas Garastas, has told that there is a trip to USA planned to meet Lithuanian players that play in the NBA. Who will go there?

- I was offered to go but my schedule at the club is so tight that I can't leave the club. But somebody will definatelly will go there.

- All 3 NT coaches are busy with the clubs. Do you plan to invite more peopel to help?

- We can't invite new people because the team can take no more than 20 people to Olympics. That means that there is no place for the second doctor and second scout. 12 players, 3 coaches, physio, two massagists, doctor and a scout will go to Beijing.

- Does the coach of continental medalists feel the pressure? Lithuania won 3 brones and once finished 4th in the Olympics. In LKF meeting there was a task confirmed - to play for the medals.

- Al my work is pressure. I chose this profession and I know where and why I am going. It would be ridicilous if I say that it would be good to take 6th place. To win medals - it is a difficult task, but we are a part of basketball world's elite and we have give ourselves the highest tasks.

[Black Urum]

Greece and some more nations who will play in the Pre-olympic in Athens will be mor eready because they will play a bunch of officials game before Olympics...

Why do they talk via sms? Van't they call each other once a while and have a 2 minutes chat like normal people?

Why would he find a replacement for Saras? PG get better and better as they grow older...

Z the traitor...

[Black Urum]

What about the Petravicius - Javtokas dilemma? Or both?

[TalkBasket]

It's true that those teams will be better prepared but on the other hand they'll have less time to rest after the season and could be less motivated and passionate.

I guess that's a normal way to talk via sms in our NT Of course there are some objective reasons for that. For example it should be hard to catch a player when there is training and strict schedule. You just send sms and he answers when he can and obviously sms is cheaper

I think the question was about a replacement during the games because we can't have Gustas as bench PG. Everybody wants to see a new top class PG as soon as possible because Saras is getting older so that is a problem for the future.

I think that only one Petravicius or Javtokas would be called up. It depends on their seasons, Butautas game plan. Javtokas is probably better in defence while we saw what Petravicius can do in Euroleague. He isn't doing something spectacular but gets the ball in the right time and scores. Javtokas can't make free-throws unlike Petravicius. The fact that Javtokas is an established member of NT could play an important role when making this decision.

[ishtrewshelis]

I am happy with him. He deserved to be at a better club. Let's hope he can get all the best players to play in Beijing.

[TalkBasket]

Yet another interview about NT:

When will NT start working?

Championships in different countries end in different time so not all the players will be able to gather at the same time. Those who will finish the season earlier, will be invited to the first camp on June 30th. They understand everything and they need no urging. I'd like the best players to gather as soon as possible. I hope to see long waited Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Arvydas Macijauskas. Team's play of style, strategy, tactics will change so we want to sort that as soon as possible. Two teams will work hand in hand, play together. There won't be a line between the first and second team. If needed, players will be transfered from one team to another.

Did you receive any news from NBA players union regarding Zydrunas Ilgauskas' possibilities to play in Olympics?

A great agiotage started because of Zydrunas. It is very important that he wants to play for NT. However, the questions regarding him will not be answered so soon. Zydrunas has clearly expressed his intentions and I didn't expect other than backlash from Cavaliers. Now we can only wait because many things will be known when the season ends.

What friendly games are planned?

At first we intended to start them on July 11th but then we changed our mind. Players need to train together and not jump straight in the fire. We learned the lesson last year against the Swedes.

The first two friendly games will be played on July 13th in Kaunas and on 15th in Vilnius. It will either be both against Uruguay or one against Uruguay and another with Asian champions - Iran. In that case second game against Uruguay would be played by our reserve team.

On July 17th we'll fly to Spain where we will play 3 matches against Spain, Angolas and Argentina. Although Argentina could still be replaced by another team.

On July 27th we will play our goodbye game against Finland in Vilnius. Two days later we'll travel to Macao. On August 1st and 3rd we will meet USA and Turkey. We will continue training in Macao and then we'll go to Beijing.

Why there are no players, that are considered promising, among 25 candidates?

We had quite a few young talents in the list but then we decided not to disturb them as they are needed for the youth team. We won't disturb the work of this team.

That way we decided to invite Justas Sinica (Sakalai) instead of Martynas Gecevicius and Donatas Zavackas (Siauliai) instead of Donatas Motiejunas. We also wanted to try Zygimantas Janavicius and another promising guy but we dropped this idea.

What coaches will help you in the NT?

There will be no changes in the coaches team. There will be Rimas Kurtinaitis, Robertas Kuncaitis and Mindaugas Lukosius. Last year they spent a lot of time to University games and this year they'll be able to concentrate on NT.

The list of Lithuanian NT candidates

Sarunas Jasikevicius (Panathinaikos, Greece)
Marius Prekevicius (Siauliai)
Rolandas Alijevas (CSK VVS Samara, Russia)
Mantas Kalnietis (Zalgiris)
Tomas Delininkaitis (Azovmash, Ukraine)
Rimantas Kaukėnas (Montepaschi, Italy)
Arvydas Macijauskas (Olympiakos, Greece)
Ramunas SiSkauskas (CSKA Moscow, Russia)
Renaldas Seibutis (Olympiakos)
Justas Sinica (Sakalai)
Linas Kleiza (Denver Nuggets, NBA)
Simas Jasaitis (Tau Ceramica, Spain)
Jonas Maciulis (Zalgiris)
Arturas Jomantas (Lietuvos rytas)
Mindaugas Lukauskis (Lietuvos rytas)
Darjusas Lavrinovicius (Unics, Russia)
Ksystofas Lavrinovicius (Montepaschi)
Darius Songaila (Washington Wizards, NBA)
Antanas Kavaliauskas (Panionios, Greece)
Paulius Jankunas (Zalgiris)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA)
Robertas Javtokas (Dinamo Moscow, Russia)
Marijonas Petravicius (Lietuvos rytas)
Donatas Zavackas (Siauliai)
Michailas Anisimovas (Lietuvos rytas)

[TalkBasket]

And yet another interview. It took me some time to translate it so there might be some spelling or grammar errors Original article.

Coach, BBL Final Four will be played this weekend in Å iauliai as well as Olympic draw ceremony will be held in Beijing. Which event are you waiting for more?

Both of them will equally interesting to me. The board of ASK Riga are glad we made it to the BBL Final Four for the first time. We are not going to be supernumeraries in Siauliai. We are preparing very seriously for the semi-final against Zalgiris.

We played a friendly game against Khimki on Friday to test some ideas on the court.

But the Olympics is the highest point of the career of every sportsman. That's why the draw in Beijing will be very important to me as well as to national team.

Do you communicate with the players often?

I keep a contact with almost all of them. With brothers (Lavrinovic twins), with Sarunas (Jaskevicius), with Javtokas. I often talk with Rimantas (Kauke—nas). He is injured so it is very important to support him.

But most of all I talk with Kurtis (Rimas Kurtinaitis). Even though we start talking about the club news, all our talks end with national team.

Sarunas Jasikevicius admitted that after Panathinaikos' loss against Partizan he recieved nice messages from you. "There were no such things in the past. Relationship with him (Butautas) are much more humane than with other coaches that I worked with." How many message have sent to the players of NT this season so far?

Two today. But I don't count them. I am not a mathematician. The numbers are not important.

I don't think I'm doing something exceptional. It's natural that the coach is interested in his players.

I understand very well how it feels when you lose a game because I'm doing the same job. And when somebody plays a good game I'm glad to congratulate.

It's natural for all the humans to keep relationship.

Which player sent the funniest message?

It's too intimate. The communication is between two persons. I wouldn't want to tell.

Journalists "can't catch" Arvydas Macijauskas for a couple of months. Do you have a contact with him?

It's the hardest thing for everyone to contact him... But half an hour ago Arvydas called me.

Will Macas arrive to the NT camp?

We all have hope because there's still enough time until the Olympics.

He's taken care by good medics in Olympiakos. I think that if his health let's him do that, he will play. Because it's a dream of every sportsman to win Olympics.

This season Macas wasn't the only player to miss many games because of injuries. Darjus Lavrinovic didn't play crucial ULEB Cup games because of back problems, Kauke—nas is still recovering after surgery. In Euroleague Simas Jasaitis and Ksystof Lavrinovic were both out for some time. Ramunas Siskauskas is playing but complains about finger pain. Do the news like that let you sleep?

Of course player injuries is the biggest concern. Macijauskas and Kaukenas both have serious problems. Rimas returned to Lithuania last week for a consultation.

Doctors explained me in detail how long rehabilitation process might take. They are already saving medication and other things that will be needed for the NT.

There's more concern that we will have little time to recover and prepare. Domestic leagues will finish in June and everyone will have to rest.

Which player would be the biggest loss?

When you cut one finger, the others hurt equally. We are already thinking about possible injuries and other "force majeure" factors. That's why we will held all the training camps together with our B team. It will consist of the players that are closest to the 12 NT players and are the most promising. We must take care of the future of NT already.

But I will never look at the passport (the name of the player). For me the most important thing is form of a player. Every player will have his chance to show what he can do.

At the beginning of March you announced the list of 25 players. Is it final and won't change?

We had to limit us with that number because that's the rules of Olympic Committee. We can't add new players even for an additional fee.

But we will invite other players, that we want to try, to the NT camps. One of them, for example, is Martynas Pocius who missed the season because of an injury.

One player who brought bronze from Madrid is missing in that list. Why Giedrius Gustas is not among those 25 players?

I thank Giedrius for helping NT last year. But after a long consideration we chose other players.

The list is mainly based on player with whom you worked in NT last year and who became Youth World Champions in Argentina in 2005. The only real debutant is Justas Sinica, forward from Sakalai. Why did you notice this player?

Because this young player made a huge progress. We are watching him from last year.

2-meter player has an accurate hand. Players like him could be useful for NT and we want to see what he looks like among the best.

Is Justas Sinica the most improved Lithuanian player last year?

It is impossible to say who has improved and how many times that's why I don't want to compare anything.

Sinica became a leader of his team and scores some points. We must prepare players in that position if we think about the future of NT.

We had Donatas Motiejuas, Zygimantas Janavicius, Martynas Gecevicius, and Sarunas Vasiliauskas in our plans but we don't want to disturb youth NT.

Rimvydas Samule—nas' team preparing for European championship. I worked with youth NT myself and I know how important it is that nobody distracts you and takes the players.

As I said we will not look at that list and will be looking at the NT's of all age groups.

There 111 days left till the Olympic Games. Does the NT have it's programme for those 111 days?

Yes, we have everything precisely planned. We not only know training hours but also other details. All the flights are confirmed, the hotels are booked and plain tickets bought.

Our programme has no miracles. For me the most important thing is that the players will have the best possible conditions to prepare for the Olympics.

When will NT gather for the first camp?

Our start is June 20. Players who will finish the season earliest will gather in Palanga that day. Players who play in NBA promised to come that day if their season is over.

Different leagues finish in different time that's why not all the players will be able to come at the same time. But they understand everything well and they need no encouragement. By the start of July we all should be working.

LKF (Lithuanian Basketball Federation) already announced that New York Knicks physio Anthony Goenaga will join NT. Were the players unhappy with the work of Rimtautas Gudas and Vytenis Trumpickas?

I trust in our doctors completely. They worked very well when we were preparing for Eurobasket. It was LKF's idea to invite Goenaga, who was recommended by Arturas Karnisovas.

Hopefully Americans will be more amenable when they know that players are looked by NBA specialist.

All three Lithuanians made it to the playoffs. Cavaliers meet Wizards in the first round. Are you waiting for a loss of Cavaliers?

(laughs a lot) If I'm honest I'm not a fanatic NBA fan. I couldn't name all the players from Cavs and Wizards. So it is hard to me to say which team is objectively stronger.

The most interested to me are the last minutes in NBA. I watch them gladly.

Have you signed a petition for Ilgauskas?

No, I didn't have the chance yet.

You can sign it on the internet.

I don't like browsing it. I try to save myself from negative comments so I use internet only to check my e-mail. I will probably receive complaints that I am not a modern person (laughs).

When was the last time you talked to Ilgauskas?

We exchanged message during Ester and congratulated each other.

"I think it will be difficult for them to sort my insurance because of my back" - newspaper from Ohio quoted Ilgauskas right after Easter. Do you have any hopes that he will play in Olympics?

I have as many hopes for Ilgauskas as I have for Kauke—nas or Macijauskas. While we have time, there's no need to start tearing hair or divine from coffee's thick. I have personal experience when your words are distorted in media. That's why I would like to leave all the considerations for the future.

I know one thing: Ilgauskas wants to return to Lithuania and settle with a team and adjust to European basketball. He wants to return as soon as possible and that says it all. However Cavs performance will determine a lot.

Ilgauskas insurance alone costs 2 million Litas. Maybe Lithuanian basketball could use the money somewhere else.

Ilgauskas is an extra class player. He plays in the strongest league 14 seasons and is among the best players in his position. His participation in Olympics is important to us in all aspects. I know that both LKF and Government put a lot of effort to find the money. I have no doubt that everything possible will be done. I am sure that Zydrunas input in our game will be huge.

Do you imagine how would NT look with Ilgauskas?

Of course we will have to change many things. With Zydrunas on court we'll need another defense system and in the offense we must use his ability. I can not push to the middle of the court and ask to trap and do step-outs! Maybe we would let our opponents to drive to the basket and meet Ilgauskas long hands there.

I am still considering whether we should do pick'n'rolls or back screens or push him above.

We will have 2-3 main game plans: with Ilgauskas and without him. It depends on which other tall guy he will be in pair with. I though about combinations with Ilgauskas and Songaila, Ilgauskas and Brother.

I have the base of the game already of course. We dream as much as we want but we must see who will come to the NT.

You brought 5 big guys to Eurobasket. If Ilgauskas comes, will you keep the same number?

I can answer this question only after training and friendly games. When we try all the tactics and understand what kind of players we need to purify game quality and vary our offense.

Lavrinoviciai, Robertas Javtokas, Darius Songaila and Paulius Jankunas won bronze in Madrid. Which of them Ilgauskas would replace?

Why try to predict? Will all of them be healthy? What form of them will be? This season Javtokas is playing very well, Marijonas Petravicius outcropped in Euroleague. Why guess now? When all of them gather and we try everything, then we can talk.

Neither Ilgauskas nor Macijauskas played in Madrid. Is there no risk that two big stars could disbalance the hierarchy of the team on and off the court?

They are not just very high level players but also matured personalities. They have not just played together with other players but also communicate together. The team is united by the same aim. There's no point in talking about personal ambitions. If we manage to win medals, there will be enough of them for all players.

Will Lithuanian dream team go to Beijing?

Only God could answer this question. I think that it will be the strongest team since Arvydas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis, Rimas Kurtinaitis and Valdemaras Chomicius played together. That was the most talented generation of Lithuanian players. Current players are also the biggest world class stars. The best European clus pay millions to Jasikevicius, Siskauskas and Macijauskas not accidently.

It is not so important what is the team called like. But we are among the candidates to win medals. We will travel to Beijing with that aim.

Darius Songaila announced that he will retire from the NT after Olympics. Did that surprise you?

There can be no surprises in basketball. We haven't talked about this subject with Darius yet and he didn't say that to me.

"After Beijing Olympics many players will retire from NT", Sarunas Jasikevicius said. Did other players mention you anything about it?

But Saras said another thing to: "don't push me out of NT, I will play and play"... To talk about that with the players at this point would be an absurd. I didn't even ask them when will the arrive to the camp. Maybe I'd have heart attack after the game against Zalgiris? What would we talk about then? On the other hand changing of generations is natural process and it happens in every team. We should view it philosophically.

Won't you leave NT with old player after Olympics?

To be the head coach of NT is a huge pride and a dream of every coach. The final result will decide everything. If we had lost against Greeks in Madrid in bronze medal game, I would have resigned. How could I coach the team in qualifying tournament if I had disappointed them once?

Now it's the same situation - if we don't win medals in Beijing, one must have pig's eyes to continue working. Of course not everything depends on me. Federation will decide. But if we do win the medals I'd like to stay in NT for one more Olympic cycle. News players are knocking NT's door, the ones that I have coached since they were kids. Lithuania will host Eurobasket (2011) so it would be interesting seeking the new target.