Nenad Vucinic. Photo / Getty Images
Nenad Vucinic's first task as re-appointed coach of the New Zealand men's basketball team will be to mastermind a campaign to qualify for next year's Olympic Games.
Vucinic who succeeded Tab Baldwin this year, was yesterday contracted for another three years, taking him through to the end of
the 2010 World Championships in Turkey.
But first, comes the Olmpic campaign with what may be a new-look team.
The Tall Blacks lost their FIBA Oceania Championship series against Australia, and now face a repechage tournament in July for one of the final three berths available at Beijing.
But several leading Tall Blacks players have indicated they are looking at pulling the pin on international basketball following the Oceania series.
And Vucinic confirmed his new squad may be missing a few old hands.
"I haven't spoken to some of the experienced veterans yet but I'd like to retain their services.
"Some have indicated they will be retiring from the Tall Blacks, so some time within the next couple of months I will have to touch base with them and see where their heads are at the moment.
"The qualifying tournament is still eight months away and I don't think players can commit to that yet, and obviously we still have to monitor the form of everybody."
Vucinic accepts the team's record under his guidance is poor.
He has had six wins and 11 losses since taking over from Baldwin, who he assisted for more than five years.
He said he is honoured to be given more time to develop the team.
"When you choose coaching as a profession, the axe is always above the head.
"I'm always aware of the position I'm in but I'm glad BBNZ have decided I'm the man for the job to try to rebuild the team and get some of the young guys in the team experience at this level."
But Vucinic said the task of balancing the team's Olympic aspirations with the need to rebuild towards the next world championships is a challenging one.
"Really now we have to look towards the future and trying to build a new generation of players by still performing well at international level."
