World Handball

  • Joana,
    why does Katarina Bulatovic play for Montenegro though she was born in Krugujevac, Serbia? The same was with Bojana Popovic... :rolleyes:

  • That's a very, very, very long (and quite painful) story. I'll try to be as short and objective as possible.


    They chose Montenegro because it was better for their careers. Montengrin handball federation did a much better job, they were very well organized, ambitious and knew what they wanted, while Serbian federation was a complete mess. Moreover, Popovic played several years in Buducnost and is married to a Montenegrin, while Bulatovic's family origin is from Montenegro. So, it would be understandable that they would make such a decision. But the problem is that they weren't completely honest.


    Popovic originally claimed that she would play for Serbia, but kept rejecting the calls to play on NT, until Serbia failed to qualify for WCh '07 (lost to none other than Poland in the play-offs :) ), when she announced that she's switching to Montenegro, even though it was a public secret at that point.


    Bulatovic actually did play for Serbia in the beginning. Just before the ECh '08 play-offs she announced that she wouldn't join the team and was going to play for Montenegro in the future. At that point it was too late to select another player and Serbia was in big trouble, but they managed to qualify. I must say it left a very bitter taste in my mouth and I never saw her the same way again. It just wasn't fair play.
    She never fully explained that decision. She claims that the then-Serbian coach offended her, but he denies it.


    I can see their point of view. They're adored in Montenegro, true national heroes. They'd never get such attention in Serbia.
    But it hurt a lot. With them (and Ana Djokic, also from Serbia but playing for Montenegro, similar story there) Serbia would have had the best team in the world. But it wasn't meant to be.

  • Thank you for your explanation! :flower:
    Anyway, their decision paid off as they not only took part in the Olympic Games but even won a medal. But I see they weren't fully fair to Serbia NT...


  • With them (and Ana Djokic, also from Serbia but playing for Montenegro, similar story there) Serbia would have had the best team in the world. But it wasn't meant to be.


    Even without those 3, in three days time Serbia has all the chances to become the best team in the world. (I'm sure it will happen) So well done Serbian team to recover from such big players loss!

  • BRAZIIIIIIIILLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:


    So proud of these girls!!!! Medalists (no matter what)....in Wch!!!! That is amazing!


    It will be almost impossible against Serbia in Beograd...but..I hope they can leave their best fight in court! ^^

  • I'm so very happy that the best TEAM has won this WCh! So deservedly! Thanks to the spanish judges for making it a fair game! Thank you Brazilian girls for all the great emotions! This was very good WCh!

  • Honest congratulations, Brazil! I bet on you after our girls didn't make it to the final. Fantastic tournament, guys ;)
    I'm a bit sad because the bronze was SO close. Well, we still have a future ahead, isn't it? :) No matter what, final 4 tastes like a medal. Girls were like rockets. And I'm really proud of them and thankful that they founded us so many breathtaking moments. It will stay unforgettable. And this experience paid off in future. We'll be stronger, I feel it :roll:

  • Tomorrow will begin Men's Euro.

    To remind:

    2012 Men's Euro:

    1. Denmark

    2. Serbia

    3. Croatia



    Polish Players say They are in Death Group so probably They are ready to end tournament after Group Phase.

  • Grupo de la muerte... I don't care what they said and what they're ready for. They should finally get their shi* together and perform on some level at least to not be ashamed of. Additional motivation should be that we have a score to settle with Serbs. So I'm expecting Serbs beated hardly tomorrow. French have their own problems too, they're not unbeatable.


    Nice start, Denmark :win: Niklas was absolutely genius. Well, Ristovski defending penalties was somehow genius too if we forget that it wasn't actually Lindberg's day :D

  • Why is so peaceful here? Amazing tournament we're having :D Donnu if we have some Danes on this forum, I would talk with them about Danish handball with a pleasure :D
    Anyway, we had monster game against Russia :cheesy: Łucak is absolutely sensational, finally I'm not that worried about the wings since he's playing a tournament of his not that long though sports life. And both Jurecki's brothers are still proving that they're priceless :roll: Not talking about Szmal 'cause he is one and only, a living legend and doesn't matter how this tournament will end - they should build him a monument in every single city connected with handball in Poland :obey:
    In the meantime Lijewski is pissing me off more and more... Nothing new, he does his normal job as it was in past tournaments :wacko:

  • How many bad luck we could have on this tournament? Finally we were a bit more lucky than the opponent. Ok, Belarus helped us to win this in the end, in fact we helped to win Serbs and French too. Can't wait to see Poland - Croatia too. I usually support Croatia (if my guys are out of the competition + if Denmark is out too) but this time we're on opposite sides, I wasn't worried at all when they lost to France yesterday. They lost it in a stupid way too, well, life... Polish team can be not that sensational for other people but as long as they are in the game and they are winning doesn't matter with or without a little help from the opponent but after a fight to the end - I say hell yes! they're sensational for us, Poles. In case someone didn't notice so far, they have full support from the audience, even though Polish handball fans permanently experience heart attacks and nervous breakdowns as our team serves us a neverending horror every single tournament they play.


    Monster win yday :obey: Laugh, criticize, deny, negate, whatever... I'm living in a handball fantasy for at least two days more and I love my team for that :thumbup:


    Ps. Lucky, huh? "Fortune favors the better" :D

  • Poles today were unstoppable and Wyszomirski made miracles in our gate 8o so place in medal zone will be decided between Croatia and Poland can't wait till this match, though I have to study because of my exams at university :whistle:

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

  • Wyszomirski called Minister of National Defence :D Guys were spectacular today :obey: That's why I love my team this much. We can play shitty game and barely win with Belarus but it's Polish NT, you never know - we're simply unpredictable :thumbsup:


    This match was insane. I can hardly remember when was the last time we performed so splendidly. See the problem with our handball team is similar to our volleyball. Lijewski is for the team someone like Kurek for his team. He played great today and the whole team worked great. Seriously, sometimes he pisses me of so much but he started all the good. Wyszomirski continued this and finally something on wings clicked :thumbup: especially talking about left wing 'cause it didn't look colorfully so far. While Łucak is doing magic :obey: Where the hell this guy came from?! Sick! Goal by Szyba thrown at an odd angle - HOW?! :sos: :obey: Jurecki from the distance - how long I've waited for this :heart: Second Jurecki and his attitude "chill out, guys, we didn't win it yet" 8) :D Jurkiewicz, Syprzak, Jaszka... whole team nad every single guy alone :obey:


    Monster moments. For sure the big day. Beautiful moment, do not pass away!


    Cheesus, I'm so excited :cheesy: I hope guys are excited and charged with positive energy enough to win with Croats. I know they can do that. After amazing second round of the tournament I'm sure they know it too and they're more confident. And imagine that after two lost in the beginning we were so in deep black hole... Handball is beautiful :P

  • So close... ;( When wings finally unblocked sth else went worse. And poor Kuba Łucak ;( Knocked out by his own teammate :(


    Jurecki brothers were my heroes today. Guys, you never give up :obey:


    See you, Iceland. Go for the title, Denmark.