The former head coach of the men’s national team of Russia Velimir Petkovic summed up the results of his work as the head coach of the national team in the interview to Handballfast.
— Whether we want to admit it or not, the men’s handball had been in a deplorable state before my arrival, Russia took 22nd place among 24 teams at the European Championship 2020. Half of the team didn’t play, and those who remained, played without fire in their eyes, I don’t know for what reasons. I wanted to figure it out, I started to invite players, talked to them, persuaded them. Eventually we managed to create a team, we have become a true family. There hadn’t been any conflict with players over a four-year period of my guidance, and it’s rather difficult to expect this being a foreign leader of a team of 20 young men, — Petkovic said.
The German specialist has headed the national team since 2020.
Photo: the HFR press
