Slavko Goluza resigns as Croatia’s national team coach

Following almost five years at the helm of Croatia’s men’s national, head coach Slavko Goluza has resigned with immediate effect.

He filed the resignation already on 5 February. It came after Croatia had returned from the World Championship 2015 in Qatar only ranked sixth.

"My decision is the result of a thorough reflection on the events in and around the World Championship in Qatar and a subsequent discussion with the leadership of the federation," Goluza said in a statement which was released on the federation website.

"I have been working with dedication, professionalism and conscientiously to achieve the goals that we set together with the federation, such as the qualification for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

"But obviously I have not met the expectations of the Croatian public and with my resignation I want to dispel any pressure which burdens the Croatian Handball Federation, the players, but most of all my family for who all this is very difficult to experience.

"I have always enjoyed the support of the leadership of the federation, but this amount of public criticism is too much of a great burden for me personally, my family, and I believe the alliance and the players, and this is why my resignation is irrevocable.

"At the federation’s initiative, summarising my results during all my years of handball, I will stay in the federation and with handball, continuing to help and contribute to the development and promotion of Croatia in the world."

Under Goluza’s leadership Croatia had won bronze at the EHF EURO 2012, the Olympic Games 2012 and the World Championship 2013.

In the EHF EURO 2016 Qualification Croatia are currently ranked first in Group 1 with two wins from two matches. They will face Norway in a double-header at the end of April.