Raul Gonzalez to lead Vardar

Macedonian champions Vardar have finally found themselves a new head coach, after signing a two-year contract with Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez, a former Spanish national team player and member of team that won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

The 44-year-old has coached Valladolid and is a former assistant of Talant Dujshebaev at Ciudad Real and Atletico Madrid.

After the departure of Zoran Kastratovic last October, the club was led by Andon Boskovski, while Sergej Samsonenko joined him on the bench for all VELUX EHF Champions League.

With this appointment, the team with plenty of talent in their ranks now have a coach with pedigree to lead them.

"I would like to thank Sergej Samsonenko for the trust shown to lead the club that has ambitions to be one of the best in Europe.

“It's a chance that a coach should not miss, especially if you consider the level of the team. I am confident that I as a coach will do my best to fulfil the assigned tasks at the highest level. Thanks to all who greeted me warmly,” said the Spaniard.

Sergej Samsonenko, team main sponsor, said Raul Gonzalez was his first option back in October, although he was in contact with other coaches including Talant Dujshebaev, who recently took over at Kielce.

"Raul Gonzalez Gutierrez, was the first coach that I personally negotiated with after Zoran Kastratović left the team. Then I talked to two other coaches, but to my great pleasure today Raul took over the team and we have a plan to be here until 2016.  

“I hope that Raul is the right choice for Vardar to achieve the goals that we set," said Samsonenko.

New signings will probably wait until the summer, with Gonzalez himself confirming that the current team will bear the pressure until the end of the season.

In VELUX EHF Champions League Group C, Vardar currently sit in forth position with six points, and three games to play versus Dinamo Minsk, Wacker Thun and PSG.

The Macedonian team need victory in their first game versus Dinamo Minsk on 9 February in Skopje, but will also need to beat the 26:24 scoreline from first match in Belarus in order to confirm their spot in the Last 16.