Basketball: Arsego takes rap but remains upbeat

Breakers coach Frank Arsego is trying his hardest to project a happy image.

He believes it is important he exudes a positive attitude despite his team being anchored at the bottom of the Australian league.

"People don't want to see a coach out there with his tail between his legs," he said. "It is, after all, a contest and if you are not fired up and positive about yourself then you are on the backfoot already."

But the reality is the next nine games are likely to be Arsego's last with the franchise.

With just seven wins from 22 games (excluding last night's result), the Breakers still have a chance of making the playoffs. But they would need to rack up several wins on the road - something the Breakers aren't exactly good at.

"We are not going in there with a defeatist attitude even though we have only won one on the road."

How the Breakers got themselves into this position is now the question as the season end draws near and the team's record looks as dismal as last year's, when they finished 10th.

Some believe the problem lies with Arsego and his lack of experience. Others say it is the players who have let the team down with dreadfully inconsistent performances.

"We are all accountable - players, coaches and management," Arsego said. "It is my job to put my players in the best possible position to get results. I think at times this season those players have been put in those positions and for whatever reason we didn't get over the line.

Not that Arsego is blaming his players. When it is suggested he could be the victim of his players' failings, particularly his so-called "stars", Arsego jumps to their defence.

"When players are learning and developing ... there is going to be good performances and performances where things drop away.

"For the Breakers to have been successful this year all of us needed to be close to our optimum and the reality is some of us have fallen short of that.

"We are maybe one good player away from making it all happen. It could be one player or it could be another season with the whole group together ... people don't understand that some of the teams we play have a core group that have been together for seven or eight years."

Arsego joined the Breakers in their first season as an assistant to Jeff Green, whom he replaced midway through the season.

He came to Auckland after a lengthy stint with the Australian Institute of Sport where he headed the men's basketball programme and was head coach of the AIS men's team. He also coached the Australian under-20 men's team to fifth at the 1999 world junior championships.

The nuggety Australian clearly has a zest for the game and in his fast speaking Aussie accent certainly seems to have plenty of knowledge.

Even Green has said Arsego is not doing a bad job. "It is just he is not doing a job that is quick enough for everyone."

But it is unclear whether the players will walk over broken glass for their coach. The widely reported Dillon Boucher text message, which was critical of Arsego's coaching, suggested not.

With every match a must-win and speculation rife about how much longer he'll be in the job, Arsego could be forgiven for wanting to chuck it in. "Why quit? I don't think you should quit."

Whether or not he remains with the Breakers, Arsego still believes he has plenty to offer the game. "I'd like to think somewhere I could continue to make a contribution. I have aspirations of having great success at the highest level."