Toni Kukoč Signals Interest in Croatia Coach Role

Croatia’s under achievement at the current FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain has put pressure on current coach Jasmin Repeša to step down…

“If anybody is better they can put their hand up for the job,” Repeša said after Croatia’s disappointing round of 16 exit at the hands of France, and it looks like a Croatian legend of the game may well just to that.

Three-time NBA champion and three-time Croatian sportsman of the year Toni Kukoč has told Tportal that he would like the job.

“Maybe the job of coach of the national team interests me. I would only want to be coach if the conditions were right and there was a healthy environment. That is all I will say about it,” said the former Chicago Bulls forward.

Kukoč, who has already been involved with the Croatian national team, helping for a week coaching here and there back in 2010 and 2011, says things were not quiet right in the Croatian camp at the World Cup, despite big things expected from them.

“Compared with the European Championships in Slovenia where you could feel the connection between the players, in Spain that wasn’t there. It was obvious from watching on TV. I saw the match against France and Argentina, what did I see? I think something happened internally, maybe something between the coach and the players…obviously there were problems. We played without any idea,” said Kukoč, adding that the players did not fight for each other.