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13 February 2026  6 min read

‘Huge opportunity’ - Steutel's pride and purpose for GB's Italy double-header

The GB men return to FIBA World Cup 2027 European Qualifying action later this month with a demanding double-header against the Italians, beginning on home soil in Newcastle on 27 February before the return fixture in Livorno on 2 March.

With all four teams in the group at 1-1 after the opening window, the upcoming games represent a pivotal moment in the qualification process.

For Steutel, however, the focus begins not with standings or scouting reports, but with the meaning of representing Great Britain and the standards that have been embedded within the programme.

“Regardless of who you play there is always an immense feeling of pride and the culture we’ve built with this group is that we all put our best foot forward regardless of who we’re playing because we’re representing our country, which means the world to us," he said.

Steutel leans heavily on Italian-based captain Carl Wheatle. Image: FIBA

“Looking at a team like Italy, they have a new coach in Luca Banchi who is someone we’ve faced before during his Latvia days. That team was one of the best I’ve seen live in terms of ball movement, spacing and execution, so I have immense respect for him and he’s just at the start of his journey with this team.

“We’re all 1-1 going into this window, so it is a huge opportunity for us to take advantage of and put ourselves in the best possible position for the summer window and qualification for the next phase.”

Preparation for Italy is aided by familiarity on both sides. Several GB players have strong ties to Italian basketball, providing insight into both the style and intensity they are likely to face - while also adding personal edge to the match-up. Playing the first game at home only heightens the sense of opportunity.

Steutel added: “We’re familiar with their style of basketball, we have many connections to their domestic game in Carl [Wheatle] and Quinn [Ellis] most notably but also the likes of Akwasi [Yeboah] and others, so we’re excited for the opportunity ahead of a critical window. To play at home first is definitely advantageous, being back in Newcastle, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do.

Quinn Ellis is another player who knows the Italian game well. Image: FIBA

“Now more than ever, coaches understand the value of being able to lean on your players. They have a unique lens that coaches might not share, so I’ve always tried to empower my players as leaders in the group to share their experience and help us move forward together.

“In this window we have a couple of players who know Italian basketball exceptionally well and with Carl being the captain, he wants to lead and have input on the identity of our team and his desire to win for GB is always second to none, but that’ll perhaps be heightened further in this window given it is Italy and his connection there.

“These windows are so competitive and evenly contested that success is about the fine margins, so anything we can do to get an edge we’ve got to welcome to maximise our chances of success.”

The opening fixture in Newcastle carries added significance for Steutel personally.

Now in his fourth season as Newcastle Eagles head coach, his connection with supporters across British basketball has grown, strengthening the sense of unity that emerges when club loyalties give way to the national cause.

The GB team has made a home in Newcastle. Image: FIBA

“In my fourth season as head coach of the club," he added. "My bond has definitely strengthened with these fans significantly over that time and the support in the good and not so good moments is always incredible, which I am extremely grateful for.

“The fans are our top priority; they’re why we do what we do. They’re on this journey with us and I love hearing their stories and meeting them all over the country now in my role with Newcastle, whether it be parents and their kids, fans who’ve come to EuroBasket to watch us, it means the world to connect with them.

“When we arrive at these fans’ venues in SLB we’re rivals, we want to beat each other, but the respect and the bond is always there and it means everything for us as a staff and players to see everybody come together behind the national team. I hope we can provide more great memories for them this window.”

Refinement and growth

GB began their qualification campaign with a split window - one win and one loss - but Steutel believes the performances offered a clear indication that the team’s long-term identity is taking shape.

With that foundation now established, attention turns to refinement and growth.

“For 78 of the 80 minutes in the last window, we did exactly what we set out to do and that is a huge positive,” he added. “We’ve put a lot of work in to building an identity for this team over several years and it was nice to see that coming to fruition on the court so consistently last window.

“Everybody involved in this group knows what our DNA is, so when we come together it is just about fine-tuning. We know we can be successful because we’ve done it in multiple qualifying campaigns to reach major tournaments, and we’ve got to keep building to take the next steps.

“This is a player-led programme. They’re the ones that are going to continue to uphold the DNA of our team in every practice session and game, and they take pride in doing so, which for us as coaches and a staff is really pleasing and exciting for the future.”

Interview by Jamie Thomas

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