Cervar new Croatian national coach
Written by: Rasmus Boysen
Lino Cervar returns as Croatian national coach.
The Macedonian Handball Federation confirms in a press release, that Lino Cervar has chosen to become head coach of the national team of Croatia once again, and that his contract as Macedonian national coach, which ran until the summer of 2020, has been terminated. Lino Cervar replaces the former Croatian national coach, Zejlko Babic, who resigned after the World Championship in January.
The press release from the Macedonian Handball Federation:
Information for media
After completing the XXV men's handball Championship in France, the public began to amount of information about a possible transfer of our male handball coach, Mr. Lino Cervar, to the bench of the Croatian national team. Following recent discussions between members of the Macedoian Handball Federation and Mr. Lino Cervar, in view of allegations about his transfer to the bench of the Croatian national team, both sides have agreed.
He was to inform the Federation for his decision. After this deadline, on March 11 2017, Mr. Cervar sent a letter to the President of the Macedonian Handball Federation, which thanked him for the cooperation they had during Mr. Cervar coaching term, and in terms of his decision to coach function, in the letter he stated the following:
"... Whether it should be with the national team of the state where I was born, in the country where I have my family, in the country where I built, developed and established myself as a handball coach and accomplished world's biggest successes and which sooner or later I had to go back and stay forever or to determine the representation of a small, proud country, my second homeland, Macedonia, which welcomed me and accepted me as their coach and who gave me everything? However, I chose Croatia - my place of birth, my country... "
Considering that Mr. Cervar chose the Croatian national team before Macedonia was automatically activating a legal basis for an unilateral termination of the agreement between Mr Cervar and the Macedonian Handball Federation.
In order to overcome this adverse situation occurred in the midst of preparations for European qualification matches, The Macedonian Handball Federation in the coming period will mobilize its resources and find potential candidates for the national coach job of Macedonia.
The Macedonian Handball Federation will make every effort in order to maintain the continuity of the big Championships of handball in the colors of the national team together to go into new campaigns.
With respect,
The Macedonian Handball Federation.
It is not yet known, whether Lino Cervar will continue as head coach for the Macedonian top club RK Metalurg, but according to both Croatian and Macedonian media he continues for the rest of the season.
It is also still unknown how long a contract Lino Cervar has signed with the Croatian Handball Federation, but it is clear that he must lead the national team at the European Championship 2018 on home ground. It is expected that the Croatian Handball Federation soon hold a press conference.
Read also: Who is to replace Cervar as Macedonian national coach? See the possible candidates.
Legendary Lino Cervar was the national coach of Croatia from 2002 to 2010. He won the World Championship 2003 in Portugal and the Olympics 2004 in Athens.
