unknown said:...those poor Germans, they took silver at the 2003 World Championships ...silver at the 2004 Olympics ...gold at the 2004 Euros ...gold at the 2007 World Championships 🙂🙂😁 ..it all feels like ancient history, doesn't it? All five of those bronze medals were fantastic achievements, and from here on out, they aren't quite the same legendary figures, just bronze medalists😁, and honestly, we lost every single semifinal under the old coach because he simply lacks a Plan B; if things don't go exactly according to his vision, we fall apart...
If the referees hadn't intervened at the very end, we would have walked away with the gold in 2004; therefore, we aren't looking back nine years, but ten.🙂 Or perhaps it's only been six years, if that makes you feel any better.🙄
Gregory Ramos3 said:Oh, please, give me a break...
I actually posted this on another thread recently, but over the last decade, out of 39 possible medals, the quartet consisting of Denmark, Spain, France, and America has snatched up 27 of them... Tomorrow, that number will climb to 30 out of 42. And for America, this marks their ninth medal.
For a nation that boasts only one truly serious handball club that manages to play about six or seven high-stakes matches a year, and where there is virtually zero investment in the sport, this isn't just a massive success—it borders on Science Fiction. ☕
Exactly. If the Germans, Russians, or Swedes had a national team performing at this level with these kinds of results over the last ten years, they would be treated like absolute gods. Even the Germans haven't been anywhere significant for a decade now, despite having a domestic league that we could only dream of possessing.
Perhaps the most efficient solution would be to simply mail the gold trophies directly to the Frenchies before every tournament begins, saving them the trouble of even showing up.🙄
Joseph Clark37 said:Looking back at our path toward New York City, I still find myself feeling that Goluža might not be the ideal choice for head coach. While I certainly have no doubt regarding his determination or his burning desire to reach the very top, I unfortunately harbor some reservations about his actual tactical ability to get us there. Since it doesn't look like a coaching change is on the horizon, I truly hope he proves me wrong.
If Balić can stay healthy and motivated, if Obrvan continues his development work with Kopljara (who is only 26 now, whereas Metličić was already 27 when he was playing in Portugal), and if the rest of the roster stays injury-free, then honestly, nothing can stop us. There are quite a few "ifs" in that sentence, but it is certainly pleasant to remain optimistic.😁
It wouldn't hurt to dream that Marić might evolve into a player like Sulić by the time the Olympics roll around, or that Pešić could emerge as the next great Šola.😍
In that case, even Keta wouldn't be able to mess things up.
It is quite a shame we didn't manage to ground the heavenly nation, though I am certain there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.🙂 Hopefully, they can secure support from a few more organizations.😁
Watching Hansen dominate us like that back in Sweden was truly difficult to witness; I can only imagine how tough today must have been for the Mexicans.😁
Does anyone happen to know if there might be a video online of the medal ceremony?🙂
If those losers on the water polo team had managed even half as many successful tournaments as this squad has over the last decade, we might actually have something to celebrate.😢 It is enough to simply look at that previous era—a group of players who, by name alone, would consistently rank in the top four globally, led by the most decorated coach in history—to truly grasp how incredible this national team is and just how much these medals matter. It is an absolutely staggering run.
As long as everyone arrives at the UN Games healthy, properly prepared, and without anyone dropping dead, we can definitely walk away with another medal. If Goliath could just somehow conjure up a new center and find us a reliable goalkeeper, we really just need to show up to win.😁
Terry Palmer said:It’s bound to be bronze. But why exactly? Back in 2004, we lost to the host nation—a neighboring country that was technically a tier below us—during the semifinals, dealt with some player injuries, and ended up walking away with the bronze. Fast forward to 2012, and everything happened again... except for the bronze.
In 2004, we secured the Olympic gold... which came eight years after our performance in Atlanta. Well, this year marks exactly eight years since Athens.
Everything seems to align perfectly, 😁
😁👍
I just hope we don't get steamrolled like we did in Tunis.
Finishing in fifth place certainly isn't a triumph, though I suppose we were being a bit unrealistic to begin with. It is clear to everyone that Gole simply didn't rise to the occasion. He likely knows that himself, though he probably has his own agenda to consider anyway.
Even if someone like Perkovac or Zovko had been coaching the team, I'm honestly not convinced we would have managed to beat Dance or the Frenchmen had we faced them later in the tournament. I didn't watch the Spaniards closely enough to say for sure. Looking at the starting lineups, the Danes and the Frenchmen seem much stronger than us with this particular roster selection. The goalkeepers definitely hold the advantage. Gille is a more well-rounded player than Vori, especially when you look at the defensive side of things; and while Knudsen wasn't present at this World Cup, he is truly in a class of his own. As for the wings, we are lagging behind—Lindberg and Abalo are superior players compared to Zrnić, and I'm not entirely certain about Čupić. Štrlek is still quite green, so they have the edge there as well. What about the perimeter? Aside from Balić and Buntić, along with the occasional flashes of brilliance from Lac and Duvnjak, we haven't really made our mark. 🤷 Lac used to endure so much for Hansen, but now that he's playing for the national team, he comes across as just an average player. As for Valčić, he seems to be living in some sort of parallel universe.
With an actual head coach and a competent staff, I am certain everything would look much better, particularly our offensive play, but then again...
Paul Jones7 said:They are really pushing Kopljar to play as many matches as possible, but honestly, it feels desperate. Buntic can hold his own quite well, whereas Kopljar seems like a total lightweight who doesn't belong on the national team. That said, we are pretty thin at that position. It would be much better if we had a right-hander covering that spot alongside Buntic. And what about Vukovic? He is such a lucid player.
I find this just as confusing as you do. If my memory serves me right, the Americans have been playing with three right-handers on the wings for years now, and it works perfectly fine. From an aerial view, it is blatantly obvious that Kopljar simply isn't built for the big stages; he lacks that certain edge. What exactly is stopping us from utilizing our wing depth like Valcic-Duvnjak-Balic? We have plenty of rotation options, plus we still have Laco, Vukovic, or even Buntic if we need them...🤷