In his first comments on his return to Panathinaikos, Zeljko Obradović, after expressing his joy at being back with the team, clearly outlined his visionfor the future.

“I’m happy to be here at one of the best clubs—not just in Europe, but in the world,” he said, having noted earlier that he has never lost touch with the team, the city, and the Panathinaikos community.

“I’ll do everything I can to show respect to these people. There’s love here. The past is important, but we have to live in the present and look toward the future. There’s a lot we need to work on, to understand the fans who support us, and for all of us to give everything we’ve got,” he added, setting the tone for his new era with the “clover.”

“I’d like to thank Dimitris for the opportunity; it was a very nice conversation, and it was easy for us to understand one another. We’ve always been on the same page; we’ve never lost touch over the years. Thank you for the welcome—as I say every time I come here, it’s something special for me. I have a connection to Athens, and it’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you, and I’m happy to be here, at a club that’s not just one of the best in Europe, but in the world,” were his opening remarks, and he went on to say:

“I believe that motivation is key in everyone’s life. If you have motivation and a big goal, you can do anything. This stadium has been renovated and is something special, thanks to Dimitris. I have a fire inside me to continue coaching. It was easy to find motivation in this place. I never lost touch with this family and these people. I’ll do everything I can to show respect to these people. There’s love here. The past is important, but we have to live in the present and look toward the future. There is much we need to build, to understand the world behind us, and for all of us to give everything we have within us.”

*photo source: KYPE