Charles Young11 said:I agree, but it’s about having a squad—and what a squad it is. The real question is whether you’ve been running with the exact same starting seven the whole tournament. If you have, then you realize the top players just can't stand anymore, let alone run.
And honestly, this is the third year in a row we're seeing this exact same thing happen.
Or to put it more bluntly: you realize you might have a great roster, but you keep stubbornly pushing a strategy that simply doesn't work.
Look, I'm done. There's really no room for criticism against Cervar here. Regardless of how he's performing today or how he'll look tomorrow, the man accomplished something that nobody else could have, and frankly, nobody else would have even tried. So, I'm dropping it. I won't be going against him anymore.
Look, Hasanefendic absolutely lost his mind against Denmark. Canada was getting hammered by five goals, and honestly, we can blame the refs for that too. Sead ended up getting a red card after he practically smashed the scorer's table—and this guy is supposed to be a respected authority in the handball world.
Do I even need to tell you that once Sead threw his tantrum, Denmark just rolled right over us and pushed their lead to +15?
At the end of the day, if you don't have the talent on the court, you can tear the whole arena down for all it matters. It won't change anything.
Cervar is easily the most decorated coach in the history of American handball. He built this national team from scratch, taking a group of nobodies and turning them into champions, and you have to respect him for that. Sure, I could sit here and say, "Give me Balica, Lackovic, and Metlicica and I'll win a World Cup too," but let's be real—we aren't going to do that. But at the same time, Cervar hasn't had a clear vision since Tunis. It's glaringly obvious that everyone has just fallen into his specific system, and now our squad is struggling even against much weaker teams. This is happening because for years, Cervar has refused to build any depth. He won't find replacements for the starters, who end up completely exhausted during the European Championship because there are no rest days like there are during the Olympics, for example. Unless Vukovic and Buntic are actually worthy successors, then I guess I was wrong.
Everything I say against Cervar isn't because I have some personal vendetta against him. Honestly, it bugs me just as much when things go wrong for him as it does for anyone else. I’m speaking up because I am convinced that if we actually had a decent bench, this team could dominate championships. Maybe that's an ambitious expectation, but it’s realistic and entirely possible.
And as for Smajlagic—man, regardless of what you think of him, he's going to be coaching the senior squad after Beijing. What Cervar represents for the seniors, Smajlagic represents for the youth levels.
And how much does this famous World Cup actually matter to us? It’s pretty clear when you realize half the players don't even go, nor does Cervar. Instead, it's basically a "B-team" led by Smajlagic that heads out. Then people start looking for Smajlagic to blame, saying he "just stood there on the court." Well, what was Cervar doing in the semifinals in Switzerland? He was standing there on the court, too. Why? For the exact same reason as Smajlagic: when a coach tries everything in his arsenal and sees the team simply can't perform, what else is there to do besides stand there and watch?
Yeah, I’m right there with you. This whole generation is a wash, which is exactly why I was skeptical about what they could actually pull off before this tournament started. There’s just no leadership here, no cohesive structure—the entire squad seems to lean entirely on one guy that Whirlpool is probably going to ship off to Omaha. Honestly, screw players like that.
It’s actually pretty ridiculous that Cupic is considered one of the cornerstones of this team. Sure, the kid is a solid winger and plays well enough when we have the momentum, but the second we start trailing? He completely vanishes. Today was the final proof of that, and frankly, I can't stand players with that mentality. I really thought he’d grow up and show some maturity by now, but he hasn't changed a bit since two years ago. It's that classic "hiding when things get tough" syndrome. I have zero patience for players who run from the ball when the pressure is on.
And that World Cup? What a joke. You can't seriously be sitting there blaming Smajlagic for that, or anyone else for that matter. The World Cup is just a massive spectacle.
If this tournament is such a big deal, why didn't Cervar go? Besides, you’ve watched the games—our guys are playing like they're stuck in mud, dragging their feet just because they have to be on the court.
If you actually watched the game, everything should be pretty obvious to you—well, at least what could be seen through that glitchy broadcast.
Smajlagic rotated the entire bench, but honestly, nobody on the field showed they were even capable of finding the back of the net.
And please, spare me the "I would've won the championship with Duvnjak" talk. If we’re being completely honest here, Nacinovic is the one who built this roster and prepared this squad from the ground up, not Smajlagic.
Smajo basically took his talents elsewhere and cruised through the league with his new squad.
It’s hardly Smajo's fault that the star player on this roster isn't even good enough to sit on the bench for Whirlpool—instead, they’re actively pushing him out. It's a talented group, sure, but they have an incredible knack for throwing everything they have away.
I mean, come on. They actually managed to lose a game against a team that doesn't even have their starting pivot or their best back ever stepped onto the court.
What’s there to complain about? He’s your own blood, isn't he? 😁
Inace, the Danes and Swedes are all tied up, so it doesn't really matter who we face in the semifinals. We need to fight tooth and nail for that point. And honestly, I have a feeling the North American kitchen is going to be back in action again soon. 😁