He was the first in a series of blockbuster signings by the Seriös Group Newcastle Eagles this summer, and ahead of a Sky Sports showdown with his former team the Bristol Flyers, Malcolm Delpeche sat down for an in-depth interview on his move to the north-east.
The 28-year-old centre moved to Newcastle’s Vertu Motors Arena after arguably his best-ever season in the British Basketball League – and his third with the Flyers, where he had established himself as a firm fan favourite. Delpeche opened up about his motivations behind seeking a new challenge:
“It was a very difficult decision for me to
leave Bristol,” Delpeche said.
“Throughout the negotiations before my move
to the Eagles, I was questioning if I was making the right choice, because I’d
made a home with the Flyers and had amazing memories there, but this felt like
the right time and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.
“Newcastle has incredible history, I’ve
heard great things about the club and the city, and when the opportunity
presented itself for me to continue my career here, Coach Steutel presented me
with a vision that really excited me and made me want to move.
“I’ve been back to Bristol with the Eagles
since and that was strange to be there as an opponent, but so special to see
that the bonds I’d built over the years with the fans were still strong and that
we still have love for each other. It’s a truly special city and team and I’m
grateful for the time I could spend there.”
The turning point of the season
The Eagles have soared up the League
standings in recent weeks as Coach Steutel’s side amassed a 6-1 domestic record
in November, leaving memories of a difficult October firmly in the rearview
mirror.
With December set to be a crucial month for
the club ahead of the beginning of a vital Trophy campaign in January, Delpeche
discussed how the team’s motivation behind their fine form may have come from a
somewhat unlikely source when the team were in Latvia.
“Even in those early games, they weren’t
great performances. We had enough talent to scrape some wins together, but in
October we really struggled to fire on all cylinders.
“One ‘turning point’ I remember was in
Latvia. We were warming up before a European game and the mood in the team was
pretty relaxed and upbeat, despite a tough run of results in the League. Our
trainer, Spencer, got fired up and told us straight that we needed to lock in,
visualise how good we could be, and deliver – and it shook us a little.
“We won that game convincingly and since
then we’ve never looked back. We have been on this great run of results and
Spencer’s words have stuck with me. I wouldn’t give him all the credit(!), but
we definitely found momentum from that day and haven’t let it go.”
All hail the Head Coach
As the Eagles struggled to take flight
despite their star-studded roster earlier in the season, questions were asked
by fans and pundits on social media as to where the problems lay with the team,
how they could be solved and who should take the blame.
Coach Steutel certainly received criticism
in amongst that, but Delpeche was candid in insisting the main issue was
building chemistry amongst a completely new team and gave a glowing endorsement
of the play-caller who brought him to Tyneside in the first place.
“To play for Coach Steutel was a big factor
in coming here. The Eagles have had a tough couple of seasons but his vision
and ambition for the team have been clear. He’s highly-regarded and rightly so
because he has been successful everywhere he’s been.
“He’s a basketball savant, he watches
everything and always talks about his ideas and things he’s seen and his belief
in us as a team. He wants us to be the masters of our own destiny and that’s
evident in how he coaches because he never has us worrying too much about the
opposition, knowing if we show our best selves, we can take down anybody.
“We have everything we need to be a
legitimate threat. We’ve shown we can compete with the best in this country and
in Europe and we belong at the top level. To achieve our goals and win titles
this year, we just have to be consistent, and we can get the better of anybody
on our day.
“We’re at a good place in December but we can be even better come May.”
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