Hungary start on road to recovery after tragic death of head coach Bohn

While the tragic death of Karl Erik Bohn was a huge loss to the world of handball, it was even worse for the Hungarian women’s national team, which Bohn had led to bronze in his first tournament as head coach at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia.

His successor is Andras Nemeth, who was installed in February 2014 and hence left with little time to prepare for the EHF EURO 2014 on home courts.

Bohn’s death had put the Hungarian Handball Federation in a difficult situation.

It had been the plan to use the Women’s World Championship 2013 as a build-up to make the team competitive and a potential medal contender for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014.

Shortly before the start of the World Championship there was news that Bohn’s cancer treatment showed signs of success, and this led to the decision not to appoint a new head coach but to leave interim head coach Janos Hajdu in charge, hoping that Bohn would eventually fully recover.

When Bohn passed away in February, the Hungarian women’s national team was suddenly in need of a new coach and they realised that valuable time to prepare for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 had passed.

Tried and tested veterans

Hungary finished eighth at the World Championship and the fact that they lost to eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-final only after double extra time showed that the core of the squad that won bronze at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia should be intact.

However, Andras Nemeth, who is a household name in handball Hungary, nevertheless faces a very difficult task with three months left to prepare for the EHF EURO 2014.

For the Provident Cup from 10 to 12 October at which Hungary lock horns with fellow EHF EURO participants, Slovakia, as well as Austria and Czech Republic, he nominated no less no less than eleven new players.

Already today (8 October) Hungary play against Romania in Debrecen’s Fönix Hall, one of the three Hungarian venues for the EHF EURO 2014.

But the word in the handball public is that Nemeth’s move comes almost a year late as many agree that his present squad is the one that should have competed in the World Championship last December to get their share of international court action.

Now Nemeth is left with the Provident Cup only to shape his team for the final tournament on home court.

Established team members, such as Anita Görbicz and Zsuzsa Tomori, will provide routine and experience but the up and coming youngsters, like Szimonetta Planeta and Gabriella Toth, will need to step up as well – the Provident Cup shall answer a lot of important questions for Nemeth.

Slovakia prepare for tricky mission

For the second Provident Cup and EHF EURO 2014 participants, Slovakia, the four-nation tournament in Szigetszentmiklos  provides an ideal opportunity to prepare for the December event when they will meet France, Serbia and Montenegro in Group D in what is arguably one of the toughest preliminary round groups. It is Slovakia’s first EHF EURO participation in 20 years.

However, some important players will miss the Provident Cup.

Lucka Gubikova, Dominika Hornakova and according to latest news, Evy Minarcikova will all miss the trip to Hungary, but hopes are there that they will  be fit to feature at the EHF EURO.

Playing schedule Provident Cup

10 October

16:15 hrs: Hungary vs Austria

18:30 hrs: Slovakia vs Czech Republic

11 October

14:00 hrs: Hungary vs Slovakia

16:15 hrs:  Austria vs Czech Republic

12 October

12:00 hrs: Slovakia vs Austria

14:00 hrs: Hungary vs Czech Republic