Andrea Trinchieri has only just begun his new adventure in Thessaloniki, but his vision for PAOK is already clear: build step by step, starting almost from scratch.
Speaking to Meridian Sport, the Italian coach explained the similarities he sees between his new project and his previous experience with Partizan.
“I’ve just started. There are many similarities with Partizan. PAOK has fans, history and titles, but we are talking about another era, which is quite far away now. I like these challenges. Sometimes, when you almost have nothing, it is easier, because you accept it and every day you come to work and start putting one piece after another together. That is my job.”
“The Jader Osman transfer was beyond my control”
Trinchieri also discussed the new PAOK roster, built around major additions such as Jader Osman and Nick Calathes.
“First and foremost, we have an owner who has a vision and knows business. He doesn’t know much about basketball, but every day he learns something and asks questions. He is a great businessman and knows that you have to make moves outside the box.”
The coach explained how the Osman deal came about.
“We were missing a starting three and the owner asked me: ‘Who is the best?’ I told him that, among all the players we could consider, the best was Jader Osman, but that he was under contract. Everything else was done by him.”
According to Trinchieri, the goal was to send a clear message:
“We had to do something to make our mark and send a message that we exist, that we are back with desires and ambitions. That transfer was beyond my control.”
Asked why Calathes chose PAOK after recently saying he wanted to remain with Partizan, Trinchieri gave a short answer:
“In basketball, everything is about timing.”
“My love for Partizan will last a lifetime”
Trinchieri made no secret of his connection with Partizan, the club he previously coached.
“I’m never completely objective because my love for Partizan will last a lifetime, and maybe even beyond that if someone gives me the chance.”
The Italian coach has followed Željko Obradović’s new team and was impressed by what he has seen.
“They really impressed me. They are tough, athletically very good and, for now, they look very good. Maybe they could add one more player, because the EuroLeague is very tough and the schedule is demanding.”
“I like their style of play and it suits the players they have. They are big, tough, two or three of them are very mobile. It is not easy at all to play against Partizan.”
“Alessandro Pajola is a little devil on defense”
Trinchieri also discussed Alessandro Pajola, who joined Partizan in the summer of 2026.
“I think the fans will really love him. He is a little devil on defense, a real devil. He has incredible instincts.”
The Italian coach also stressed that Pajola should not be judged primarily on his scoring numbers.
“If you don’t expect him to score 20 points, he can be a very, very interesting player.”
“It hurts me when Partizan loses”
Trinchieri also reflected on Partizan’s difficult previous season and the subsequent departure of Obradović.
“It hurts me when Partizan loses, and I’m sorry about everything that happened. I don’t think it benefited anyone: the players, the fans or Željko.”
The Italian coach then praised Obradović’s new project.
“It was painful, but Željko found a fantastic place and a team with fantastic potential. If anyone can put together a team like that, it is him, without a doubt.”
As for Partizan, Trinchieri believes the most important aspect will be how the team responds to adversity.
“It will always be crucial what happens after a loss, not after a win. How they react then will be the most important thing for the future.”
“You cannot play basketball without domestic players”
Asked about the importance of domestic players, Trinchieri reiterated a belief he developed during his time with Partizan.
“You need good foreign players, but you cannot play basketball without domestic players. I learned that at Partizan.”
However, he stressed that local players should not be given opportunities simply because they are local.
“You shouldn’t force domestic players in at all costs, but in these clubs, which have tremendous fan support, domestic players are worth five times what they can give you.”
“When you look at a domestic player, you always see his weaknesses. But if you shift your attention slightly, you can see what he can give you. If you expect a domestic player to score 30 points every night, you will be disappointed. But basketball is not just about scoring 30 points.”
“The Greek league has grown enormously”
PAOK will also compete in a Greek league that, according to Trinchieri, has taken a major step forward.
“It won’t be the strongest, because that title belongs to Spain. But this league has grown enormously. The leap has been huge.”
The coach highlighted the presence of the two major Greek EuroLeague clubs, as well as other ambitious teams.
“There are the two best teams in the EuroLeague, two more that want and dream of playing in the EuroLeague. AEK is always there and plays in the BCL finals every season.”
“Anyone talking about titles wants PAOK to fail”
Despite the excitement surrounding the new project, Trinchieri is urging everyone not to rush the process.
“Pressure is never a problem for me, because if there is pressure, it means you matter and people expect something from you. But we are still a long way away.”
The coach believes PAOK has a significant gap to close, one that cannot be eliminated in a single season.
“We have to make up something that cannot be made up in one season. We are three levels behind. Not just with the coach and players, but with the entire organization.”
For that reason, he does not want to hear talk about titles.
“Anyone talking about titles wants PAOK to fail. I don’t listen to that.”
“I only think about the next practice”
As for PAOK’s future and the possibility of eventually reaching the EuroLeague, Trinchieri does not want to make predictions.
“I expect nothing. I only expect the next practice and the next game. That is a question for my management.”
His objective for the next 12 months is much more concrete:
“Next year at this time, I would like the team to have grown, for us to work better and for the organization to have improved. But most importantly, I want us to never give up. Results are not under my control; they are not under anyone’s control.”
Source: Meridian Sport
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