Risto Magdinchev named new head coach of Macedonian women's team

Risto Magdinchev will lead FYR Macedonia’s women's national team into the qualification for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 after the Macedonian Handball Federation (MHF) on Friday accepted him as the successor of Gino Strezovski who had led the team the past three years.

Magdinchev’s contract will run until June 2014, the month in which the qualification for the EHF EURO 2014 concludes, with an option to extend it afterwards.

Zivko Mikaetov, the President of MHF, already announced that the intention is to work on a “long-term basis” with the new head coach. Magdinchev will not only be responsible for the senior national team but also for younger age categories teams. 

His predecessor, Gino Strezovski, resigned in August after failing to qualify for the World Championship 2013 with the national team. FYR Macedonia were eliminated in the European play-offs by Spain. At the EHF EURO 2012 FYR Macedonia placed 16th at the end of the tournament.

"I will do everything in my power to succeed in the upcoming qualification matches," said Magdinchev

"I can promise a serious commitment, but more time is needed because we have quality and talented handball players that need time to fully mature."

It works in Magdinchev’s favour that FYR Macedonia don’t play in Rounds 1 and 2 of the qualification.

As his team is seeded in Group 7 with only Russia and Germany as opponents, their first appearance will be in April 2014 as Germany and Russia open the group matches with a double-header on 23 and 27 October.

Macedonian citizenship for talented players

Magdinchev suggested to start official procedures for granting citizenship to three handball players, the two Russian wingers Anna Vinogradova and Ekaterina Kostyukova (Vardar) as well as Romanian goalkeeper Mihaela Ialomiteanu (Metalurg).

All three of them have arrived in FYR Macedonia on Magdinchev’s recommendations and all are young enough to be able to play for the national team for a longer period.

The past year several handball players decided to bid farewell to the national team including Tanja Andrejeva, Julija Nikolic and Dragana Pecevska.

This is the first time Magdinchev coaches a national team in FYR Macedonia. Previously he had been at the helm of Vardar SCBT and of Zito Prilep.