Constanta with new coach but old ambitions

For the upcoming season Romanian champion Constanta HCM have reinforced their team through the signing of a new coach, Macedonian Zvonko Shundovski.

On top of the new coach, some players have joined the team as well. The Spanish Alberto Sancho Val (pivot) and Humet Gaminde (right back) and Serbian Milutin Dragichevic (pivot) are among the players that are going to help try to secure a place in the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

“We expect to sign another player for the left back position to strengthen the back positions so that we will be able to rotate more,” said coach Shundovski.

For Shundovski it is his first job outside of FYR Macedonia. Nevertheless he kept his position as national coach of the Macedonian national team that will participate in the 2013 World Championship in Spain.

“One clause in my contract with HCM Constanta is that I will be released from club duties when the national team has meetings or matches,” explained the coach.

FYR Macedonia was fifth at the last Men's EHF EURO in Serbia and now face new challenges. Now the pressure on Shundovski’s back is growing but he is looking forward to it.

“Pressure is an integral part of our job, both on a club level and with the national team. The investment needs to grow with the challenges we face,” said Shundovski.

"Every new beginning is somehow difficult. Fortunately Constanta is a well-organized professional team with high ambitions. The working conditions are excellent,” added Shundovski.

Constanta organise the VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament and hope to win the tournament to be a part of the Group Phase. Over the past three years, Constanta always played among the best European teams in the Group Phase and in 2009/10 they even made it to the Last 16.
 
“The fact that we are hosting a Qualification Tournament for the VELUX EHF Champions League gives us a small advantage compared to our opponents which cannot be under estimated, especially Tatran Presov are very strong. We have to take this very seriously and give 100% to reach our goal,” said Shundovski.

The expectations of the team management remain the same as last season: win the Romanian title and win the Qualification Tournament to reach the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Furthermore the club wants to improve the results in the Group Phase although Group B (THW Kiel, MKB Veszprem KC, BM Atletico Madrid, IK Sävehof and Celje Pivovarna Lasko) is quite difficult.

The main problem for the Romanian team will be the fact that they play their matches in Buzau where they do not expect as much support from their fans as in Constanta.

During the preparation the team will face some international opponents such as Saint Raphael (France), MT Melsungen, Northorn Lingen, HSG Wetzlar (all Germany), A1 Bregenz (Austria), Wacker Thun (Switzerland) and Aarhus (Denmark).