Natalia Furaeva:
With CSKA there is no margin for error

CSKA, as reigning VTB United League champions and heavy favorite to repeat in the upcoming season, concludes our series of interviews with club representatives from around the league. The Russian giants traditionally seek only one goal – championships, and in two of the league's previous three seasons the Army men came out on top. Only in the 2010/2011 season did they come up short, falling to Khimki in the finals. This year the club is determined to repeat for the first time as VTB United League champions, and with their winning tradition, financial resources, and seasoned squad, there's no reason why they can't pull it off.
Natalia Furaeva shares in her interview about the constant pressure on the club to win, offseason roster changes, the team's desire to get revenge against Nymburk, and the continuation of their rivalry with Lithuanian club Zalgiris.

-Last season CSKA won the VTB United League title for the second time. What's competition in the league like and what's the key to being successful?
-We're given a unique opportunity to compete with the best Eastern European clubs, while still maintaining the integrity of the Russian league. By playing more games against quality competition in an atmosphere similar to the Euroleague, CSKA enjoys better preparation for its primary focus, the Euroleague. That's an undeniable advantage. As for keys to success, CSKA has only one – complete commitment to win every game and every title. For that to happen every player, coach, physical trainer, and team employee must give their best effort.

-There were some significant roster changes this summer. Andrei Kirilenko and Aleksei Shved left for the NBA, while Ramūnas Šiškauskas retired. At the same, Ettore Messina returned to the team, along with some new players. What are your thoughts on these changes?
-Of course, it's always difficult to move forward after such significant losses. The players you mentioned are all European basketball superstars. On top of that, Kirilenko and Shved's departures hurt even more because of the limit on foreigners in games with other Russian teams. I suppose that just makes the season more interesting. Undoubtedly, Ettore Messina's return is the club's major offseason acquisition. He's a terrific basketball expert who missed being on the bench during his year in the NBA and has a lot of new ideas to put into action.
The roster's undergone significant change, but it's still too early to say whether the team is stronger or weaker. In our opinion, we were able to strike an appropriate balance and address weaknesses at several positions. The coaches will have an easier time now of switching up the pace and style of play, thanks to a renovated bench. In addition to athletic skill, we made sure to look for players that love to win. So far we haven't been disappointed with anyone.

-Will CSKA's long-term strategy and/or style of play change with Messina's arrival?
-The club's long-term strategy hasn't changed – we're building a team capable not only of winning this season, but also 2-3 years down the road. As for style of play, Messina's tactics are always changing, depending on the roster, opponent, and recent strategic innovations. What will certainly not change is an emphasis on good defense and ball movement.

-In your opinion, which of the new players might over the course of the season move into a leadership role on the team?
-We're lucky to have several players on our team that are superstars in Europe and on the international scene. What's more, I'm certain that Krstic and Teodosic, who received all sorts of awards last season, haven't reached their full potential and that Messina will help them do just that.
I hope we won't rely too heavily on just one or two key players during the season, but rather enjoy the leadership of various team members from game to game. In the Gomelskiy Cup, for example, Aaron Jackson won MVP, while during the preseason Sasha Kaun looked great. Drew Nicholas can overwhelm the opponent at any time with a barrage of three-pointers, while Victor Khryapa's role as captain both on and off the court is incredibly important. All I can do is wish our athletes an injury-free season. If that's the case, then the fans can count on a productive, high level of basketball this year.

-Which opponent during the regular season of the VTB United League is expected to cause CSKA the most trouble?
-We're happy that we'll get to play against Nymburk again this season, after their victory last season on our home court. It will be nice to see VEF again, too. If you include the Euroleague, we'll match up with three Lithuanian teams this year, which is always a recipe for hotly contested battles, especially during games in front of their passionate fans. We've also always looked forward to our visits to Minsk and this season won't be any different. In general, we don't divide our opponents into different categories. We know that we've got to prepare seriously for everyone.

-All the other teams in the league talk about the rivalry between CSKA and Zalgiris. What does it mean to you personally?
Probably the same as what it means for anyone else that's familiar with the history. Lots of people, not just basketball nuts, know about the legendary showdowns between the two teams in the 1980s. In those years, you could always count on seeing a passionate and valiant battle fought out on the court between two tremendous basketball powerhouses. And this year, once again, the games will be very entertaining. Just look at the game we recently played against Zalgiris in the Gomelskiy Cup. The team from Kaunas clearly demonstrated its balance and grit; not surprising, given its collection of famous Lithuanians and strong international players. I'm certain that a game featuring CSKA and Zalgiris is still very compelling to the fans.

-What's got to happen this year for CSKA to consider the season a success?
-My answer won't surprise you. With CSKA there is no margin for error – we've got the highest standards and everyone involved with the team, from the fans to our sponsors, expects nothing but victories. It's the same in every game and in every league, which means there's a lot of pressure when you play and work for CSKA. Tremendous pressure, tremendous responsibility, but at the same time, tremendous satisfaction when we can live up to those expectations.