One debutant and the hope for a good start

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s head coach Dragan Marković has announced his 17-player squad for the upcoming EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches against Austria (31 October in the Austrian city of Linz) and Serbia (4 November).

In the attempt to qualify for the final tournament in Denmark in January 2014 and in the wake of having been seeded in a group with European vice champion Serbia and Russia, the match against Austria looks as a good chance to gain valuable two points.

“We all believe in our success there. Austria are maybe a weaker team compared with Serbia or Russia, but still they are very good and to gain the first points in Linz will be extremely difficult,” said left wing Vukašin Stojanović.

However, the match against Serbia just four days later will have an even more special meaning for 30-year-old Stojanović as he was born in the Serbian village of Gajdobra.

“Of course, it is always difficult (for me) to play against my Serbia, but I am also feeling as a Bosnian. As a professional handball player I will turn off my emotions.

“We beat Serbia in the qualification for the EHF EURO 2010 but to repeat this will be a tough task.

“Serbia have a very good team with a lot of experienced players, who know how to play when atmosphere is hot, like it will be in Sarajevo,” concluded Stojanović who plays club handball for Serbian vice-champion, RK Vojvodina Novi Sad.

Stojanović’s teammate Mirsad Terzić is also hoping that his team will get off to a good start, but is reluctant to count any chicken before they are hatched.

“Every time we are on some kind of beginning, we don’t have continuity. Bosnia and Herzegovina have always good players, but every time something doesn’t go well.

“That’s why I am afraid to predict anything. Two clashes with Austria and Serbia will be a serious challenge for us.”

The only debutant in the Bosnian national team is Boris Bećirović. The playmaker from French side Pays d’Aix has a good start to the club handball season and therefore earned his selection.

Bećirović was a member of the Slovenian junior national team, but since he did not a play a role in the plans of Slovenia’s men’s head coach Boris Denič, he decided to play for his country of birth.

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The Bosnia and Herzegovina squad for the for the first two EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Enid Tahirović, Nebojša Grahovac, Benjamin Burić
Right wings: Faruk Vražalić, Damir Delić
Left wings: Vukašin Stojanović, Mirko Mikić
Backs: Damir Doborac, Senjamin Burić, Adnan Harmandić, Marko Panić, Kosta Savić, Mirsad Terzić, Ivan Karačić, Boris Bećirović.
Line players: Muhamed Toromanović, Vladimir Vranješ