Stanic and Metalurg go their separate ways

Macedonian champions HC Metalurg and their Serbian goalkeeper Darko Stanic have parted company by mutual consent, the club said on their official website www.rkmetalurg.mk.

The two parties terminating their contract did not come as a total surprise, given that the 36-year-old Stanic was left out of the squad for Metalurg’s 28:24 defeat at Meshkov Brest in last weekend’s VELUX EHF Champions League Group A match.

This means Metalurg will again be weakened when they visit Croatian rivals HC PPD Zagreb in a crunch Group A match later on Saturday, having lost both their opening games.

Stanic, for his part, was gracious about the end of what he called a wonderful three years at Metalurg.

“I spent three wonderful years at Metalurg and after a constructive meeting with the club’s management, we decided to part company by mutual consent,” he told the club’s website.

“I sincerely regret that we home to this situation but it was in the best interest of both parties. I wish Metalurg all the best in the future and I hope they can emulate the results we have achieved in the last three years, as I was proud to be a part of that project.”

Metalurg, Champions League regulars nowadays and battling for domestic supremacy with bitter city foes Vardar, won three Macedonian league titles and as many national cups in the last four seasons.

Last term they reached the Champions league quarter-finals after impressive group phase performances and an emphatic Last 16 win over KIF Kolding Kobenhavn before they were eliminated by THW Kiel.

Stanic was also instrumental in guiding Serbia to the EHF EURO 2012 silver medal on home court, the country’s first podium finish in the sport as an independent nation, hence he is reportedly being sought after by clubs from the Bundesliga and Qatar.

“We deeply regret losing one of the world’s top goalkeepers and wish Stanic all the best wherever he continues his career,” Metalurg said.

“He will be remembered as a key player of the club’s golden generation which covered itself in glory at home and in Europe.”