Азербайджан, Baku / Trend corr Z. Safarov / The Lithuanian national basketball team is leading in the European Championship being held in Madrid. The team has won twice and is to go onto the next round in the competition.
The team's second trainer is Rimas Kurtinaitis, who previously was the trainer for the Azerbaijani national team and the 'Gala' club. Perhaps he will return to Baku again.
After the Lithuanian professional signed a contract with the Permian 'Ural-Great' and then resigned not long after due to the team's inefficient results, the Russian team administration criticised Kurtinaitis. The manager of the team, Sergey Belov, stated that it had been a mistake to invite Kurtinaitis and he was disappointed with the Lithuanian trainer. It was also said that receiving Azerbaijan's invitation, Kurtinaitisstayed apart from modern basketball trends and his methods would not go far.
It would be interesting to see what would transpire if Kurtinaitis returned to Azerbaijan. But it is not good to upset the previously well-known basketball player, for Kurtinaitis did a lot to develop this sport in Azerbaijan. It was him who brought the Azerbaijan national team to its first victory, the Games of Islamic Countries in Saudi Arabia and the European Championship. It was he who exposed Fuad Niftaliyev, Zaur Pashayev and Tahir Bahshiyev. Kurtinaitis accepted the invitation to Azerbaijan as a challenge and it was really interesting for him to work here. Furthermore he has proved his professionalism at the World Youth Championship, when the Lithuanian team he was heading won a Gold medal.
Given the fact that Kurtinaitis had no obligations to any other club, his return to Azerbaijan is possible.