Atanasov lays out MZT Skopje plan: speed, aggression and veteran spine
After one week of training, coach Vasko Atanasov outlines a faster, more aggressive MZT Skopje and highlights new signings and veteran leadership.
Skopje — August 21, 2026. After the first week of preseason work, MZT Skopje coach Vasko Atanasov offered a first assessment of how the team is shaping up and what supporters can expect for the coming season.
Preparations and tactical focus
Atanasov said training is progressing on schedule: the full squad is together, players are healthy, and the staff is focusing on fitting newcomers into the club’s system and game model. He stressed that management targeted signings who match the team’s style.
He described this year’s roster as noticeably different from previous ones, with stronger veteran leadership and players who understand what it takes to win. Atanasov singled out speed and two-way aggression as priorities for the team this season.
Key veterans will continue to carry the team’s spine: Vojdan and Damjan Stojanovski remain foundational figures, while the newly acquired playmaker Noah Farakan should add scoring and tempo at the point. The additions of experienced centre Dimitrije Nikolić and the versatile Leslie Varner, he said, give MZT advantages it lacked last year.
Atanasov framed the club’s objectives plainly: to approach every game intent on winning, to challenge for every available trophy, and to represent the Aerodrom municipality and Macedonian basketball with dignity. He also appealed to the fans to support the team at the stands.
With work on conditioning, tactical adaptation and line-up chemistry continuing, Atanasov expects a team built for a fast, aggressive style on both ends of the court — a formula he believes will make MZT competitive domestically and in regional contests.
Photo: press material from the event
