The Montenegrin men’s national handball team recently faced a setback when the “lions” were eliminated after two playoff matches against Italy in their bid for a World Cup visa.

In Italy, Montenegrin coach Branko Dumnić has been making significant strides. Recently, he was awarded coach of the year in Serie A by the popular Instagram page “Kvaranta per venti.”

Dumnić previously led Sutjeska to its only trophy in history by winning the Cup in 2008. He managed to secure the survival of the Presan team this season, marking this as his third recognition, having previously been named coach of the year twice for men’s teams and once for a women’s team.

“This award is a tremendous acknowledgment of my efforts,” Dumnić stated. “When I took over Presan in January, the team had only one point. We ended up in direct battles against Trieste for survival and successfully achieved our goal. I’m pleased with the outcome of the last half-season, which was far from easy. Few anticipated this result considering our squad wasn’t particularly strong, but next season, we will participate in Serie A,” he shared with “Vijesti”. Dumnić has also coached junior national teams and was in charge of Lovcen during the 2007/08 season.

Dumnić closely followed the Montenegrin national team’s playoff matches against Italy, emphasizing the importance of not underestimating competitors. This oversight ultimately cost Montenegro a place in the World Championship, despite Montenegro boasting both individual and team talents.

“I was a bit taken aback by our team’s lack of focus. They needed to remain alert and not underestimate the Italians. It seemed they approached the first match too casually, and the second match saw them expecting an easy game, aided by the home crowd in Podgorica. However, the Italians played shrewdly, exploiting our aggressive defense to their advantage. Although the Italians have competent players, they don’t have a nine-meter shooter like we have, which clearly puts us at an advantage. It’s unfortunate for this generation, which is one of the most complete we have had and had the potential to reach the top eight. The absence of center backs Andjelic and Bozovic was significant, as their presence would have elevated our team play significantly,” Dumnić remarked.

According to Dumnić, the quality of the Italian league surpasses that of Montenegro.

“There is a clear distinction in club handball between Montenegro and Italy. We need improved organization regarding youth selections for handball in Montenegro. There should be more collaboration and gatherings among these younger teams, with an emphasis on individual skill development. Italy’s organizational standards are much higher, while Montenegrin clubs struggle financially and face numerous issues with training schedules, compounded by the number of players also needing to work,” Dumnić explained.

Looking ahead, Dumnić’s plans for Presan involve assembling a competitive team capable of making a significant impact in the domestic league.

“We aim to bring new players on board to strengthen our squad for next season. Our objective is to reconnect with former players who developed through Presan’s youth ranks and are now abroad, as this is a long-term strategy to lay a strong foundation for future success,” concluded Dumnić, who is contracted with Presan for the upcoming season.

Greater Faith in Youth is Essential

The Montenegrin handball team also missed out on securing a spot at the Olympic Games, marking another disappointment for national handball this year.

“There needs to be much greater belief in young talent, particularly in women’s handball,” Branko Dumnić expressed.

“It’s considerably easier to score in women’s handball compared to the men’s game, something everyone can see. I anticipated a much better outcome and that we could have advanced past Slovenia. However, our women’s handball league primarily consists of juniors except for Buducnost. While it’s beneficial for younger players to gain experience, they often enter the scene too early, which poses a challenge,” Dumnić concluded, having clinched nearly all trophies during his tenure with Italian clubs.

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