At the end of June/beginning of July, Raoul Koerner completed his last two as head of the Austrian national basketball team. The 48-year-old has switched to Hamburg Towers, who don’t want to see their new coach in a dual role. Corner, who took over the ÖBV team three years ago, will be succeeded by his former assistant Chris O’Shea.
Koerner signed a two-year contract with BBL Hamburg club. As for Wieney, it is the third club in Germany after Braunschweig and Bayreuth. Since the Towers are represented in the European Cup, the second highest European competition, they do not want to release Korner for the Austrian team. The final matches before qualifying for the European Championships on June 30 against Ireland and on July 3 against Cyprus will be his farewell bids.
“The national team is close to my heart and always will be, but it doesn’t pay for a living,” said Corner, who is still a member of the federation’s sports council. “However, we were prepared for this situation. We have created competent employees around me who can continue the project started even without my presence.”
So O’Shea will be ÖVB team boss from August, and Stefan Grasseger will be his first assistant. “It’s a great honor,” said O’Shea. The Klosterneuburg Dukes coach is hoping for a successful end to the Corner era with a promotion to the next preliminary round before he begins his duties. “Raul is starting to develop his Austrian basketball identity,” said O’Shea. “I look forward to joining Stefan Grassiger and all the staff in strengthening and shaping that identity.”
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