Matic and Celje part company

Serbia coach Vladan Matic and Celje Pivovarna Lasko have parted company by mutual consent, the Slovenian club said on their official website.

The 43-year-old Matic, a former Yugoslavia international who won bronze medals at the 1999 and 2001 World Championships, took over as Serbia coach in October and had performed in a dual role since.

He steered Celje into a good position to qualify for the VELUX EHF Champions League last 16 following an emphatic victory over Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb, which left the Slovenian side fourth in Group A with two games remaining after the winter break.

However, Celje decided to terminate their contract with Matic and his entire coaching staff after a 30:29 Slovenian league defeat by Gorenje Velenje, which left them second in the country’s 12-team first division, three points behind their traditional rivals.

Matic is therefore left with the solitary task of leading Serbia at the EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark next month, where the 2012 European Championship silver medallists have been drawn in Group C alongside France, Poland and Russia.

“It was a tough decision to make but the most recent defeat made it inevitable and the club’s leadership had to react. The team has proven that it has a lot of potential and is capable of achieving good results,” the club said in a statement.

“We hereby thank Vladan Matic and his staff for their efforts and wish them luck in all their future endeavours, while the club will name his successor as soon as possible,” it said.