Brose Bamberg meets Real Madrid in the fight for the EuroLeague playoffs (8 pm in LIVETICKER). With Fabien Causeur an old acquaintance plays there. SPOX spoke with him about his change after only one year in Bamberg, about changes of a professional at his age and about the peculiarities of the EuroLeague format.
SPOX: Fabien, in October 2016 we introduced you as a new addition to Bamberg in an interview, now we are talking to you as a Real Madrid player. How did the change come about after only one year in Germany?
Fabien Causeur: I admit: When Real called, it was a very easy and quick decision for me. I had some offers, but my biggest priority is to play every title in Europe, including the EuroLeague Championships. This is the biggest thing you can achieve outside the NBA. And here in Madrid, I have the opportunity.
SPOX: How do you remember your time in Germany?
Causeur: It was a fantastic time in Bamberg. We both won national titles and played great basketball. I’ve made new friends for life. I continue to maintain relations with Bamberg. Of course, I don’t regret moving to Madrid – but of course there is a bit of melancholy when I think of Bamberg.
SPOX: Was it the plan from the outset for you to use Bamberg only as a stopover?
Causeur: No, no, absolutely not. I don’t think so, and that wouldn’t be fair to the Bambergers either. Much more I think from year to year, season to season. Things went well in Bamberg, we also held our ground in the EuroLeague and fought for the playoffs. Man, there were so many games that we barely lost in the end. This could have gone differently. When the season was over, I looked at my options and chose Madrid. Who wouldn’t have done that? But again: It could have gone differently. That was not taken into account.
SPOX: Your situation was not easy when you came to Bamberg. They had a season with many injuries behind them – but then came through the season “unharmed”. You are also regularly on the field for Real. Have you changed your training or playing style?
Causeur: Not consciously, no. He was taken care of by the medical staff in Bamberg, with whom I worked a lot. Coach Andrea Trinchieri also had the right feeling for when I was tired – because then the danger of injuries increases. So he let me pause one or two games and everything was fine again. This procedure is also very important with the double burden. This also paid off in the end: We finished the regular season at BBL in second place, but dominated the playoffs. This has been a great merit of the doctors and coaches.
SPOX: Are there generally things that have changed over the course of your career in terms of focus? You turned 30 this year….
Causeur:…. (laughs) Of course, ageing plays a much greater role for us professionals than in other areas. Regarding your question: it has already changed in recent years. However, this is primarily due to the fact that the schedules are becoming increasingly intensive. The new format of the EuroLeague is only in its second year, so it will not be around for a long time yet. This automatically prevents the coaches from killing you for hours in a training session until your lungs burn. Instead, the focus is on regeneration and load control.
SPOX: So the aging process is not so much about it?
Causeur: That’s not what I meant by that. Of course, you’re not as good at 30 as you are at 20 – whether it’s hard games, intense units, or a few hits you get from your opponent. Now I have to pay much more attention to it during regeneration than before. But also here the staff is very important, who must help me to recognize when I need a break.
SPOX: How has the importance of individual games changed due to the harder schedule?
Causeur: Of course, the first thing to do is to approach every single game with the goal of winning it. But that is impossible in such a long season, and the coaches know that too. That means: If it doesn’t work in a game and you notice that you’re probably losing – then you start to try things out and see the game as an extra training session that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.
SPOX: In the Spanish league it’s going very well for you, with eleven victories and only one defeat you are on first place with Real. What is so special about ACB, which you already know from your time at Laboral?
Causeur: Without a doubt ACB is the best national league in Europe. It’s great fun to play against top clubs week after week. I think that last season five Spanish teams played in the EuroLeague, which is unique and speaks for the league. I also like it in Spain in general.
SPOX: And there is the Clasico, which has a different dimension than the rivalry between FC Bayern Bayern and Bamberg…
Causeur: The Clasico is the most famous game in the world! Of course, even in Bamberg they pointed out to me that the games against Bavaria are something special, so I prepared myself accordingly. But nothing in the world is comparable to the Clasico.
SPOX: In the EuroLeague it’s not yet going so well for Real, you’re fighting for playoff participation. How do you rate – after one and a half seasons – the new mode with a regular season plus playoffs?
Causeur: On the one hand, it’s great for the fans to see top duels on the highest level week after week, over a period of seven months. Everyone plays against everyone, there are no excuses. This is also fun for us players in a certain way. On the other hand, however, it must also be said that it is extremely hard for us. You are always under power, there is always travel stress, there are so many things to watch out for. It is very demanding for the players and requires the highest concentration almost every day of the season.