Ivano Balic Is Better, But Must Be Careful

Manager of the Croatian handball team Lino Cervar said that Balic was training with the squad and performing additional exercises.

SPLIT, CROATIA - Twelve days before the start of the World Handball Championship, the condition of Ivano Balic is much better and things are heading in a desirable direction, Lino Cervar, manager of the Croatian handball team, told a press conference on Sunday in Split`s Le Meridiane Lav Hotel, where the squad is staying.

Cervar explained that Balic was training with the squad and performing additional exercises.

- We are careful so that a mistake is not accidentally made and we want to do everything to protect Balic, but to prepare him as well – Cervar said, pointing out that the Croatian handball team must be ready for two game systems – with Balic and without him.

- I would be a demagogue to say it is the same playing with Ivano and without him, because he is a supreme player and one of the best in the world. I said everything by this – Cervar stresses.

Practice at Poljud stadium

The team held a running practice on Sunday at the Poljud stadium and Cervar emphasised that Hajduk FC leadership was exceptionally affable towards the handball players, saying they were free to use everything Hajduk owned on Poljud. He announced the team will hold its first practice at the large Spaladium hall on Monday, where the World Championship matches will be played. Until now, the Infernal Ones trained in the small hall of the Spaladium Arena.

Cervar explained that the preparations were taking place in three areas: conditional plan for gaining strength; psychological and preparations for the game concept. The manager said they introduced some changes into the previous working system.

- Croatia won the World Champion title in Portugal in 2003, and a year later, it was the Olympic champion in Athens, because we introduced a novelty for our defence not to attack the opponents, but the ball and for more players to group themselves around the ball, which disables the opponent. In the meantime, other national teams started applying this model, which started causing problems for us, especially Balic. Now, we are perfecting greater mobility of the players and want quick alterations of their positions, because they cannot be predictable from various positions. Today, a player`s versatility is required, who can play at several positions – Cervar explained the new ideas in the Croatian game. He said he has already experimented with this model in Zagreb HC.

Vedran Zrnic, who has scored 268 goals for the team, said that any won medal at the World Championship would be a success.

- We are aware that the public expects a gold medal from us, as hosts, and will do our best to realise best results possible – Zrnic said.