Patrice Attendoli, first supporter of the Dodge Team
Patrice Attendoli is the No. 1 supporter of the Rocher team. He follows her everywhere and has even had his car personalized, a Dodge Ram, in the colors of the club that the players have not failed to sign.
How did this passion for the Roca Team come to you?
Basically, I was not at all basket. Today, this sport has become a reason for living. I didn’t even know the rules. About twelve years ago, a friend of my son who was a basketball player in Monaco invited me to go see a match.
Until then, I was going to watch football. There were about thirty people. I had a real crush. I was captivated by these players who gave their all. Day and night with football! Game after game, I went back. At the time, Monaco was at the bottom of the abyss in National.
I was named the first supporter of the Roca Team. In Monaco, people don’t dress too much in the colors of the club. I found myself invested in this new challenge. I am a business manager (of a moving company in Monaco, editor’s note) recently retired. I made my pickup (Dodge Ram), a personal vehicle, in the color of the Roca Team.
How many matches have you watched?
Ours ! I must have exceeded the 400 mark. Apart from a very short break, I even made all the trips, especially to the Canary Islands.
In the space of ten years, how do you analyze the progress of the club?
I have been through so much! Our former coach Zvezdan Mitrovic has become a friend. We sometimes ate together before games. I was a bit disappointed with the way things ended. But it may cost less to put a coach out than to put money on a player at 2 million euros (smile). Mitrovic also had to understand that some players are not, while being stars, up to what was expected of them.
Patrice Attendoli believes in the podium, not the title
What is your view on the performance of Mike James?
When I did my pickup, I asked Leo (Westermann) to bring the whole team to sign him. The players all came except… Mike James. He probably thinks he’s the best. Which is not my point of view. He remains a very good player, but not the big, big, big player as we have described him. I have doubts on that.
Will Monaco finally be champion of France?
On the court after this title. Almost nothing is missing. On an extraordinary team. Many new players have arrived. New automatisms had to be created. Some fit in less well than others. It is necessary that the amalgam be made to reach a very strong complicity. We are not bad. We even play good games, but not yet up to expectations.
What about the Euroleague?
It’s a very tough competition with extraordinary players. That’s nice to look at. Hopefully we finish in eight. Once in play off a lot of things change.