Dupa un antrenament extrem de solicitant, Tomic, cu zambetul pe buze si transpiratia pe frunte, ne-a acordat un interviu.

Bine ai venit la Targu Mures. Care sunt primele tale impresii?

In primul rand bine v-am gasit. Ma simt foarte bine aici, inca din primul moment, si au trecut doar trei zile. E foarte frumos. Stii, de obicei cand te duci sa joci la o echipa, iti trebuie doua-trei saptamani sa te acomodezi, dar aceasta e prima oara cand dupa trei zile, cum sa spun, ma simt ca acasa. Baietii sunt de treaba iar atmosfera e superba. Cand te duci la o echipa profesionista mai mare toata lumea e diferita, aici mai degraba e ca intr-o familie. Din ceea ce am putut vedea in trei zile este frumos.

De ce ai ales BC Mures ?

De ce am ales sa vin aici? In primul rand din cauza antrenorului. M-a sunat sa-mi zica ca ma vede in aceasta echipa, si mie imi place ce face. In al doilea rand, sala si publicul de aici. Sunt printre cele mai bune din Romania. Toata lumea zice Sibiu, Cluj si Mures, nu? Orasul este foarte frumos si linistit, imi place. Anul trecut am fost la Craiova si e diferit, aici e mai usor.
Antrenorul ne pune sa muncim foarte mult, va fi greu. Craiova a insemnat un an de relaxare, mi-am incarcat bateriile, acum vreau sa muncesc, sa-mi pun in valoare aptitudinile. Simt ca putem face ceva bun aici.

Ce parere ai despre campionatul romanesc ?

Anul trecut a fost ok. Acum doi ani am jucat in Ucraina si sincer campionatul de acolo este mai puternic, sunt mai multi straini, bugetul echipelor este mai mare, si este normal. Cand am venit aici am crezut ca va fi mai usor dar am fost surprins pentru ca erau sapte straini intr-o echipa si echipele aveau multi americani si sarbi si ei stiu sa joace. Din punct de vedere individual nivelul jocului este foarte bun.
In opinia mea, si nu vreau sa fiu prea destept, ar mai trebui muncit la sistem si ar fi un campionat mult mai puternic. Iar anul acesta va fi greu pentru ca multe echipe sunt apropiate ca valoare.

Cum sunt antrenamentele ?

Huh... Buna intrebare. Momentan este foarte greu pentru ca am fost bolnav timp de 15 zile, dar e bine, imi place. Imi place cand mi se pretinde mai mult, nu sunt genul care se da la o parte. Si e un lucru bun ca exista antrenori preparatori pentru fiecare domeniu, conditie fizica, pentru sala; lucrurile arata bine. Sa fiu sincer antrenamentele sunt foarte grele dar aceasta este meseria noastra.

Doresti sa le transmiti ceva suporterilor ?

Am vazut publicul de multe ori. Vreau sa-i invit la meci sa ne incurajeze pentru ca, asa cum zice toata lumea, exista sase jucatori in teren. Cu un asemenea public, cu un asemenea antrenor si cu acesti baieti va fi un an interesant si vom munci din greu. Poate anul acesta va fi cumva diferit, in sens ca lumea este obisnuita sa vada show tot timpul, dar in acest an am auzit ca se va merge pe rezultate, iar eu pentru asta am venit. Insa va fi frumos.

Multumim pentru interviu.
Si eu va multumesc.

Welcome to Mures. What are your first impressions ?

First, thank you for welcoming me.
I feel very good here, from the first moment, it's been almost three days. It's very nice. You know, usually when you go to play for a team you need around two or three weeks to accommodate, but this is the first time when, I don't know, in three days I feel like at home. The guys are ok and the atmosphere is superb. When you go to a big professional team everybody is different, here it's more like family. From what I have seen in three days it's nice.

Why did you choose BC Mures ?

Why have I decided to come here? First of all, it's because of the coach. He called me to tell me that he could see me in this team and I like how he works. Second, the gym and the crowd here. They are among the best in Romania, the gym and the crowd. That's what they say: Sibiu, Cluj and Mures, right? The town is very nice and quiet, I like it. Last year I was in Craiova and it's different, it is easier here.
The coach makes us work a lot, it will be tough. Craiova was a year of relaxation to fill my batteries and now I want to work and fructify my skills. I feel that we can do something here.

What do you think about the Romanian league ?

I don't know, last year it was ok. Two years ago I played in Ukraine and honestly the league is stronger there, they have more foreigners, the teams' budgets are bigger and that is normal. When I came here I thought it would be easier but I was surprised because there were seven foreigners and the teams had many Americans and many Serbians and they know how to play. Individually the game is very good.
In my opinion, and I don't want to be too smart, they need to work on the system and the league will be much better. But this year it will be very hard because a lot of teams are a match to each other.

How is practice ?

Whew... Good question. Right now it's very hard because I was sick before for fifteen days, but it's good, I like it. I like when somebody is pushing me, I'm not afraid of work. I like what I've seen in these three days. It's a good thing that we have a coach for everything, for fitness, for the gym, and things look good. To be honest practise is hard but this is our job.

Do you have a message for the fans ?

I saw the crowd many times. I want to invite them to come to the game and support us because, as everyone says, there are six players on the court. With this kind of support, with this coach and with these guys this year will be very interesting and we will work hard. Maybe this year will be different; they are used to different, maybe it won't be so much show all the time but this year, as I heard, we will play for results and that is why I came here. It will be very nice.

Thanks for the interview.
Thank you too.