Handball 2010 EP: America vs. Denmark 27:23

What kind of "rebellion" are we even talking about on the court? Haha. It’s just some small-town hack constantly forcing the ball to Marko Kopljar, though I honestly have no clue why. This kid is barely even playing under the wing of the defense, yet he keeps getting shoved the ball. And my favorite line from them? Claiming how much they've weakened by not having Lac and Valčić playing. Give me a break... Vuković is playing out of his mind. As for Lac, he’s been a predictable book for the last three years. He just fires low into the bottom corner and every keeper saves it, especially since all goalies tend to dive low anyway—and I should know, being a goalkeeper myself.

Meanwhile, Buntić plays an absolute gem. Sure, he's playing individually, but he’s putting points on the board. Marko Kopljar couldn't dream of scoring a goal; hell, he can barely dream of catching the ball. We have fantastic wing players, but the offense never actually develops plays for them, which is entirely the fault of Balić or Dule when they're on the floor. And Červar doesn't even know how to lead a team, let alone say anything meaningful when nobody gives a damn about what he says. Just some political errand boy. Also, is Šola really our goalkeeper coach now? Like, WTF? He was a great goalie back in the day, but I highly doubt he knows how to pass that knowledge on. All in all, it's a disaster. Handball is a team sport, not an individual one. The Americans are going to absolutely slaughter us tomorrow. Unless, of course, the refs decide to bail us out again.

Drew Edwards8 said:Even if we somehow stumble our way into the semifinals, they’re going to absolutely demolish us with the way we're playing right now.

Who exactly is going to demolish us? Sure, we aren't exactly playing like champions, but let's be real—nobody else is playing particularly great either. Out of all the teams in this tournament, maybe the Polish national team has some actual continuity and a coherent system, but everyone else is basically just winging it and praying for the best.

slybadger99 said:This little guy just keeps throwing the ball right at his feet.

I was actually just talking about this earlier today. We’ve got this smooth, controlled offense going where Duvnjak is opening up his arms, ready to receive a pass from Kopljar, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, this guy just hammers the ball straight at his feet. 😂 It’s almost like he’s trying to sabotage his own teammate. 😂

I honestly haven't seen anyone pull a move that clumsy before.

slybadger99 said:What kind of "rebellion" are we even talking about on the court? lol. This peasant coach keeps forcing Kopljar into the lineup, and I honestly don't get why. The kid is tiny and just tosses the ball under the net. But no, they insist on him. And my favorite line from the press: "we are significantly weakened because Lac and Valčić aren't playing." Are you kidding me? Vuković is playing out of his mind... and Lac has been a spent force for the last three years. He keeps shooting low into the bottom corner and the keeper saves every single one, especially since all keepers dive low anyway—though I don't see why they bother diving like that (and I'm a goalkeeper myself).

Buntić played great. Sure, he's playing solo, but he's scoring. Kopljar can only dream of scoring; actually, he can only dream of catching the ball. Our wings are fantastic, but the plays aren't being set up for them at all, which is on Balić or Dule when he's playing. Plus, the coach doesn't even know how to lead a team, let alone say anything meaningful when nobody gives a damn about what he thinks. Just some corporate errand boy. And Šola is my goalkeeper coach now? Seriously, wtf? He was a great player, but I highly doubt he can actually teach anyone anything. All in all, it's a disaster. Handball is a team sport, not an individual one. The Americans will crush us tomorrow. Unless, of course, the refs decide to bail us out again.

🙄 They can run plays, attack, and create advantages until they're blue in the face, but it doesn't matter if the ball hits a dead end and just stops 🙄

Ashley Carter95 said:🙄 sure, they can spend all day refining their game, attacking relentlessly, and building up a massive surplus of momentum, but what happens when the ball finally hits the high-voltage power lines and just gets stuck right there in the middle of the 🙄action?

Is that you, Markan?? 😂

casualskipper8 said:Is that Markan?? 😂

So, who's going to be our Marko Kopljar on the power lines... you know, one of those old-school types...🙄

Ashley Carter95 said:Man, who’s actually going to step up and be the next powerhouse playmaker? We need someone with that old-school grit, you know? 🙄

Look, Kopljar is going to find his rhythm tomorrow. He’s going to absolutely tear through Dance just like Metličić used to dismantle them back in the day. Just wait until he starts shredding Hvidt and pulling off those crazy trick shots with Čupić...

It's going to be a total celebration for handball fans.

casualskipper8 said:Copland will be back in top form tomorrow. He’s going to absolutely dismantle Dancer, just like how Metlifsky crushed them a few times before... Just wait until he starts tearing through White and teaming up with Cupic for those signature plays....

It’ll be a glorious day for handball.

Yeah, and once he drives in from the right wing and cuts to the left, the Danes won't even know what hit them.🤣🤣

As long as Copland is on our side, I’m not worried one bit☕

But yeah, I mean, I guess that loss tomorrow feels almost inevitable, damn

First off, Copland isn't going to step up. He just doesn't have the caliber for the national team, no matter how many fans are rooting for him... the kid is a solid player for the MLS or maybe a high-level minor league, but that's it. Gojun could help fill in for Dominikovic or Spoljarić, but there is absolutely no way he becomes our defensive anchor. You need massive amounts of experience to pull that off... there's only one Secretary of Defense, after all. And he’s definitely not old, just like Dominikovic isn't. As for the offensive side of things, I think it's pretty obvious we can't function without Perez. He doesn't necessarily have to score or even play a perfect game, but his presence on the court means everything. He’s a warrior, and his experience is unmatched. Just look at "Big Olaf"... the guy is 37 and doesn't look like an old man to me at all. Honestly, someone should find some old tapes of him and give them to Copland to watch; maybe that could serve as training—learning how to actually play with heart and fight for the jersey he's wearing. But he just doesn't have that grit, that backbone. There isn't any amount of practice that can fix a lack of intestinal fortitude. Second thing—the goalkeepers... hats off to Alilovic, because if it weren't for him, we'd be in deep trouble. It's a shame Pesic isn't here; this could have easily been his tournament. Then there's Carapina, who, much like Copland, is a player for the domestic league and nothing more. We had better options, like Sunjic or Granic from the Florida area... top-tier young keepers. If we're talking about youth movement, then why aren't we doing it right? Carapina is 27 or 28; it's not too late, but if we're committed to going with the young guys, let's commit fully instead of calling up Carapina just because Cervar wants him on his club team in Mexico after the EU championship. Moving on, young Shtrelk is excellent, but he's playing way too many minutes without a break, and the issue is we have no real backup. To be honest, I've never really watched Mataija, so I have no idea what he's worth. Where are guys like American or Vukic? They're also young players with actual big-tournament experience. And now, the pivots... this is where my thoughts on Cervar come in. Musa? Man, hats off to the kid, but at that position, we have a player who is an absolute beast, and the only reason he's not on the national team is because he fell out with Gobc. If he were playing for us, we'd have the best pivot duo in the world. One last thing regarding this "youth movement"—it feels totally unnecessary. These guys should have been playing through at least the London games, and only then start introducing the youngsters to find successors (though, frankly, if they perform well in their clubs, they'll force their way in without being sought out). Here is my take on what the national team should look like for the next 3 or 4 years; judge for yourselves:
goalkeepers: Alilovic-Sunjic-Pesic
left wing: Shtrelk-(Vukic or Sprem)
right wing: Cupic-Zrnic (maybe even Džomba, depending on his club form)
left back: Valcic-Lackovic-Dominikovic (defensive specialist, obviously)
right back: Metlifsky-Buntic (we don't have anyone better)
center back: Balic-Duvnjak-Vukovic-Spoljarić (defense)
pivots: Vori-Sulic
That would be a squad blending youth with heavy-hitting experience... a proven recipe that landed us an Olympic medal with a very similar lineup...
As for the game against Denmark... we're us, so we'll probably scrape by, but that won't be an easy win. Let's just let the coach do his job. He might not be the greatest tactician in the world, but with a roster like this, even a fool could probably make it to at least the semifinals...

Jeffrey Ramos84 said:First off, Copland isn't going to make it; he just doesn't have the caliber for the national team, regardless of how much some fans cheer for him... the kid is a solid player for a top-tier domestic league, maybe even the G-League level, but nothing more. He’s someone who can step in if we need to cover for Dominikovic or Spoljarić, but there is absolutely no way he becomes our defensive anchor. You need serious experience for that role... and we only have one true defensive leader, and he's definitely not old... nor is Dominikovic... As for the offense, it should be obvious that we can't function without Perez. He doesn't necessarily have to score or play perfectly, but his presence on the court matters immensely. He’s a pure warrior, and don't even get me started on his experience... just look at "Big Olaf"... the guy is 37 and doesn't look old at all. Honestly, someone should find his old highlight reels and hand them to Copland to watch as training; maybe then he'll learn how to actually play with heart and fight for the jersey he's wearing... but he just doesn't have it; he lacks that grit. And then there's the goalkeepers... massive respect to Alilovic, because without him, we'd be lost... it's a shame Pesic isn't here, as this could have been his tournament. Then there's Charapina—like Copland, he's just a standard first-division player, period. We had better options, like Sunjic or Granic from the small towns... elite young keepers. If we want to rejuvenate the squad, why aren't we doing it properly? Charapina is 27 or 28... it's not too late, but if we are committed to youth, let's go all the way instead of calling up guys like Charapina just because Cervar wants him on his roster in Mexico after the EU championship... Moving on, young Strtek is excellent, but he's playing too many minutes without any rest, and the problem is we lack a legitimate backup... To be honest, I've never really watched Matija, so I don't know what he brings to the table... where are players like American or Vukic? They are also young but have experience in major international competitions... Now, the pivots... that's my favorite part regarding Cervar... Musa???? Man, hats off to the kid, but at that position, we have a powerhouse player who is being left out simply because he crossed Gobc the wrong way... if he were on the team, we'd have the best pivot duo in the world. And one last thing about "rejuvenation"... it feels totally unnecessary right now. These players should have been playing through at least the London games, and only then should we start introducing youngsters to build a legacy (though they usually force their way in via club performance anyway, so we shouldn't have to hunt for them)... In my opinion, this is how the national team should look for the next 3-4 years... judge for yourselves:
goalkeepers: Alilovic-Sunjic-Pesic
left wing: Strtek-(Vukic or Sprem)
right wing: Cupic-Zrnic (maybe even Jomba, depending on his club form)
left outside: Valcic-Lackovic-Dominikovic (defensive specialist, obviously)
right outside: Metlifsky-Buntic (we don't have anyone better)
center outside: Balic-Duvnjak-Vukovic-Spoljarić (defense)
pivots: Vori-Sulic
That would be a squad blending youth with heavy-hitting experience... a proven formula that brought us an Olympic medal with a very similar lineup...
As for the game against the Danes... we're us, so we'll pull through, but that matchup against the Austrians won't be easy... let's just let the coach do his job; he might not be the greatest strategist in the world, but with a roster like this, even a novice could probably make it to at least the semifinals...

Not bad, though I wouldn't go for American under any circumstances.

slybadger99 said:What kind of "rebellion" are we even talking about on the court? Hahaha, please. This peasant coach keeps forcing Kopljar into play, though I have zero clue why. The kid is tiny and just chucking the ball low under the crossbar. But no—keep pushing him, right? And my favorite line from the press: "We're significantly weakened because Lac and Valčić aren't playing." Are you kidding me? Vukovič is playing out of his mind. As for Lac, he’s been a finished book for the last three years. He just fires low into the keeper's corner and they save every single one—especially since all the keepers seem to dive low for no apparent reason (and I say this as a former goalkeeper myself).

Buntić played brilliantly. Sure, it might be individualistic, but he's scoring. Kopljar can forget about scoring goals; honestly, he should just dream about actually catching the ball. Our wing players are fantastic, but the plays are never actually set up for them—which is entirely on Ivano Balić or Dule when they're on the floor. And the coach? He doesn't even know how to lead a group, let alone give them advice, especially when nobody gives a damn about what he says. Just some corporate errand boy. And Joe Montana is our goalkeeper coach? Seriously, WTF? He was a legendary goalie, sure, but I highly doubt he knows how to pass that knowledge on. All in all, it's a disaster. Handball is a team sport, not an individual one. The Americans will absolutely slaughter us tomorrow—unless, of course, the refs decide to bail us out again.

Wait, since when does Balić even run plays for the wings? That’s news to me. I played that position for years, but clearly, I missed that particular training session...☕

Joe Montana is a great goalie? Bašić is a great goalie, Matošević is too... Alilović used to be a great goalie...

Montana is just a show in front of the net...

Joe Montana is the man... honestly, if we had someone like him to step in for Alilović, we’d be in a much better spot. He was an incredible keeper—arguably the best in the world at that time when it came to stopping those wing shots. Just to put things in perspective, his average was around 17 saves per game across all competitions in the Canadian league. And let's be real, that league was basically the NFL compared to ours. They had two heavy hitters in the Champions League like Pick Szeged and Fotex, plus Dunafér, which meant those three teams were constantly going head-to-head against our Chicago squad. Not to mention, he's the guy whose penalty saves practically carried us to the Atlanta Olympics. He played in the German Bundesliga and the French league, always starting as the number one and consistently being one of the top players on the roster. So, I really don't see how anyone can argue he isn't absolute elite talent.

I guess I have to jump in again.
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about Peter Metličić.
In my opinion—if you want to call it that—he could have still played for the national team...
But, right after the conclusion of last year's World Cup,
Peter said that, as far as he was concerned, his time with the American national team was over.
He felt he had given enough and that it was time to let the younger guys take a shot.
Is that true?
Of course it is.
And why did Peter say that?
Well, partly because the sports media turned on him
over the last two years.
People were saying Peter Metličić was washed up and that his prime was long gone.
Some people were smart enough to say, "Okay, maybe Peter isn't an offensive threat anymore, but look
at how Peter plays defense."
It didn't help.
Peter listened to all that for two years before deciding, "Fine, I'm out. I've done my part, now it's time for the kids."
The guy stepped away gracefully because he respects himself; he didn't want to stay until he was being tolerated or, worse, forced out.

Balić went through the exact same thing as Peter last year—getting totally undervalued.
Even here on this forum.
We all know he was injured and probably shouldn't have even played in the World Cup.
He played at the direct expense of his own health.
He played however and however much he could, and he helped secure that World Cup gold.
But because of that injury, he wasn't quite the same Balić.
Duvnjak was playing like he was on jet fuel, and everyone was shouting that Dule Dule is the man, that he's better than Balić, and that he'll eventually surpass him.
After the final against the Frenchmen, people were claiming Karabatic completely ate Balić alive and that's why we lost.
Karabatic was the superstar, and suddenly Balić became some mediocre player—basically a half-invalid who was finished. Nobody bothered to consider that the guy was playing through an injury. No one factored in the Danish officiating, either.
Balić came to this European Championship to prove something.
To show he's still the best.
Smart people don't need Balić to prove that.
Balić is simply the Maradona of handball.
The greatest ever, and I doubt we'll ever see another player like him again.
Now, once again, Ivano is the king
and Dule is useless.

People are still talking about players who should have been here but aren't, while the ones who were here were being told they should be kicked off the team—and that's on us.

It doesn't really matter if Lino leaves or stays.
It reminds me of our last big basketball medal—that bronze from the European Championship.
People were spitting on them back then too, blaming Aca Petrovica, the coach at the time, because third place and a bronze was treated like a failure.
Aco resigned, basically saying people would remember when the American national basketball team won a medal, because it wouldn't happen again for a long time.
And that's exactly what happened.
Our basketball plummeted to the second, if not third, tier of the European League.

Just wait a bit, and you'll see the handball players following right in the footsteps of those basketball players.
Then it'll be fine when we settle for 5th place and nobody cares what anyone says on this forum.

Stay happy and keep smiling!

Jeffrey Ramos84 said:Joe Montana is the man... if only we had someone like him to step in for Alilović, things would be looking up. He’s a legend—honestly, maybe even the best keeper in the world back then when it came to those wing shots... just a side note, his average was around 17 saves per game during his Fotex Veszprém days across all competitions... and let's be real, the Canadian league is basically Mercedes compared to ours... they’ve got two clubs in the Champions League like Pick Szeged and Fotex, plus Dunafér... those three against our Chicago? No contest. Not to mention he’s the guy who practically carried us to the Atlanta Olympics with those penalty saves... he played in the German Bundesliga and the French league too... always the number one, always one of the best players on the roster... so yeah, I really don't see how you can argue he isn't top-tier quality.

Because at the end of the day, it's all about what happens in the crease...

He's an inspirational keeper—that's how I'd put it... once you start analyzing his style, it's pretty much over for the opposition...

Unlike guys like Omeyer... or Bašić...

Or even the younger ones like Šunjić...

Oh, please, I wasn't implying that Ivano Balić was actually playing through the wings, for heaven's sake... you really have to read between the lines here. The plays start with him, which means he’s setting up the shooters on the perimeter, and then those shooters find the wings... goodness 🙂 it’s not even the point...

And honestly, Joe Montana was an incredible goalkeeper back in his day. Don't be so quick to dismiss him. During the height of our national team's glory days, he pulled off so many clutch saves, often racking up 15 or 20 stops per game. Mirko is a talented keeper, but he's just too inconsistent right now. It's obvious he's still too green, even if he is 24. It's common knowledge that goalies don't really hit their stride until they're past 26; they need that veteran experience. But you can't just pin everything on the goalie, because to make great saves, you need a solid defense, and there are massive holes on Kopljar's side. Or look at when Balić is playing defense—he's a total liability there. Those are our weakest links. And what happened to Dominiković? Is he not on the national team anymore, or is he just completely washed up? Seriously, wtf? We have such difficult people running our national team and the US... unfortunately 😢

slybadger99 said:Oh my god, I wasn't suggesting that the coach just hands out plays to the wings—good grief... read between the lines here. Everything starts with him—he orchestrates the play for the perimeter guys, then those perimeter guys feed the wings... jeez 🙂 it’s really not that deep...

And yeah, Joe Montana was an incredible goalie. Don't even go there. Back during the glory days of American handball, he was pulling off massive saves—we're talking 15 to 20 big stops per game. Mirko is great, truly, but he's way too inconsistent. He’s clearly still green, even though he’s already 24. It’s common knowledge that goalies don't really hit their stride until they're past 26. They need the mileage. But you can't just pin everything on the goalie—to make great saves, you actually need a solid defense, and let's be real, the defense on Kopljar's side is basically Swiss cheese. Or look at when Balić is playing defense—he's a walking gap. Those are our weakest links right now. And what about Dominiković? Is he not on the national team anymore, or is he just completely washed up? Seriously, wtf? We've got absolute jerks running the national team and the US... unfortunately 😢

So how is the coach to blame if DV (Kopljar) doesn't know how to get the ball to the wings?

Jeffrey Ramos84 said:First off, Kopljar isn't going to find his rhythm here. He just doesn't have that national team caliber, regardless of how many fans are pulling for him... the kid is a solid player for a top-tier American league, sure, but that’s about it. He’s someone who can step in if Dominiković or Špoljarić are out, but he shouldn't be our defensive anchor. You need massive experience for that role, and we only have one "Minister of Defense" on this squad—and he's definitely not old, much like Dominiković. Moving on to the offense, it's pretty obvious we struggle without Peter. It's not even about whether he scores or plays flawlessly; it's just that his presence changes everything. He's a fighter through and through, not to mention the veteran leadership. Look at "Big Olaf"—the man is 37 and doesn't look a day over a seasoned pro. Honestly, someone should dig up some old tapes of his prime and hand them to Kopljar; maybe that could serve as training so he learns how to play with heart and fight for the jersey he's wearing. But he just doesn't have that grit. It's missing. Then there's the goalkeepers... huge props to Alilović; if it weren't for him, we'd be in real trouble. It's a shame Pešić isn't here; this could have been his tournament. As for Čarapina, just like Kopljar, he's a decent domestic league player and nothing more. We had better options, like Šunjić or Granić from the South... top-tier young keepers. If we want to rejuvenate the roster, why aren't we doing it properly? Čarapina is 27 or 28; it's not too late, but if we're committed to youth, let's actually commit. We shouldn't just call him up because Červar wants him on his club team in Mexico after the European Championship. Regarding the youngsters, Štrlek is excellent, but he's playing way too many minutes without any rest, and the problem is we lack a real backup. To be honest, I haven't really watched Mataja, so I can't say how much value he brings. Where are guys like American or Vukić? They are also young but have experience on the big stages. And then the pivots... that's where my opinion on Červar really kicks in. Musa? Man, respect to the kid, but at that position, we have a powerhouse player who's only missing from the national team because he fell out with the coach. If he were playing for the US, we’d have the best pivot duo in the world. Lastly, this whole "rebuilding" thing feels unnecessary right now. These players should have been our core until at least London, and only then should we start introducing successors (though those kids usually force their own way in through club performance anyway). Here is my take on what the national team should look like for the next 3-4 years. Judge for yourselves:
goalkeepers: Alilović-Šunjić-Pešić
left wing: Štrlek-(Vukić or Šprem)
right wing: Čupić-Zrnić (maybe even Džomba depending on his club form)
left back: Valčić-Lacković-Dominiković (defensive specialist, obviously)
right back: Metličić-Buntić (we don't have anyone better)
center back: Balić-Duvnjak-Vuković-Špoljarić (defensive specialist)
pivots: Vori-Sulić
That would be a roster blending youth with heavy-hitting experience... a proven formula that basically brought us an Olympic medal with a very similar lineup...
As for the game against Denmark... we're Americans, we'll find a way through, but that match against Austria won't be easy. Let the coach do his job; he might not be the greatest tactical genius in the world, but with talent like this, even a mediocre coach could scrape into at least a semifinal...

..you forgot the coach👍

...True, but even Peter Metličić spoke up publicly before the roster was finalized, saying he was making himself available to the national team....That really should have been the end of the story regarding Peter Metličić's retirement. He belonged in Austria, leading us toward another medal; after all, he’s our captain and the soul of this squad. This whole mess is Zoran Gobac's doing...honestly, it should have been obvious to everyone a long time ago. How do you explain the fact that Gobac—who isn't the head coach, nor any of the trainers, nor the director, nor the team doctor, nor the physio, nor even the president of the federation—just shows up in the locker room before the game, at halftime, and after the final whistle??? What is he even doing there? That's when everything starts to make sense... It explains why Kopljar keeps starting from scratch every single game despite our disastrous performance, while Gojun is being touted as the cornerstone of our new defense. It's nonsense. And if you want someone to blame, it's Zoran Gobac.

And why Pipe?