Brilliant Slovenian playmakers clash in Kielce

Young gun versus old hand, effective shooter versus wizard of playmaking and talented pupil versus experienced master. Two hot names of Slovenian handball will face each other on Sunday, when KS Vive Tauron Kielce host MOL-Pick Szeged in the last match of VELUX EHF Champions League Group B.

Uros Zorman and Dean Bombac have known each other for a long time. They have fought hand in hand in the national team. They have never played in one club so far, but it will change next season. They have played five times against each other in the competition with the result 3:2 in favour of the older Zorman.

Accomplished star vs promising apprentice

“When he joined the national team for the first time, he was 20 and I was 29. It was a huge age gap then! But you know, it’s normal,” says Zorman and recalls his own beginnings in Slovenian team.

“When I joined the squad in the age of 19 and I played with 30 years old guys it was the same. There are always few generations in the team. The older players talk about their kids, stock market or buying a house and the young ones are hesitating which game to choose on Playstation and which car to buy,” he says.

Dean Bombac remembers those times vividly and recalls the joy of playing with a childhood hero. ‘It gives you great satisfaction when you finally get to play with superstars you only saw on TV before. This was the case when I first met Uros, who was kind of like a role model for me. Years have passed and we have become close friends but I still remember the first time I took the court with him.”

“Now Dean is and I am… a bit more…,” Zorro smiles urchinly “And now we have a great relationship! Each week we call each other. When we are on national team duty, we spend much more time together than before.”

Bombac confirms their friendship is not restricted to national team events. “We speak 4-5 times every week and not only about handball. He is a kind of person you always want to listen to and when he gives you advice you should always take it,” said the Szeged playmaker.

Master of trick shots vs Guru of assists

“He is the most important focal point of Szeged this season. He has got everything: a sidestep, shot, assists, everything goes the way he wants,” Zorman praises Bombac. “He has huge talent and he needs space. Luckily now he has a free hand in Szeged and he can do a lot. And he deserves that,” he adds.

Bombac claims he learned a lot from Zorman in the past. “Even before I had the chance to play with him I had loved how he plays. He was a true master for me, I’ve learned a lot from him and I believe without his impact on my style I wouldn’t be the player I am now.”

Kielce’s centre back underlines that his younger teammate has improved a lot in recent years.

“Each year Dean is showing more and more of his talent. He is still young but he already showed his experience and character. I hope that each next year he will show more and more!”

When asked about the best qualities of Zorman, Bombac took a minute before he came up with an answer. “I could make a huge list of what he is good at but I think what makes him a perfect handball player is his commanding skills. He is a natural leader, who commands his men by his own movements. When he turns left the whole team turns with him.”

It took the Szeged playmaker even more time to come up with a weakness of Zorman. “He talks to the referee too much. But who am I to talk?”

Slovenian heroes

But still this is Uros Zorman, who deals the cards in the national team. Why isn’t Dean shining on this court as much as on the European floor?

“National team is something different. You can’t assume that if somebody plays excellently with his club and he comes to the national team, he’s going to play there at the same level.

“You know, everyone has got his own role in the national team. We have around five, six centre backs in Slovenia and each time you need to fight for the position. And I am here too,” he smiles and adds “I hope that when I’m gone, he will become the leader of this team, maybe even a captain!”

His hopes seem to have a huge meaning especially that the captain plans to finish his national team career after April’s Olympic Games qualification, or the games in August should Slovenia qualify.

“He has given so much for Slovenia during his tenure with the national team. I know his aim is to wave goodbye to the team with a great achievement and the Olympics are a perfect event to do so.

“But I already know how much we are going to miss him afterwards. Slovenia have great playmakers but Uros Zorman is an exceptional character, who is always hard to replace,” claims Bombac.

It seems that as for now the role of star in Slovenia is booked for Zorman. But experienced captain totally disagrees. “I’m not a star, come on. I’m just one player. It all always depends on the whole team.”

A reunion in Kielce

“He still needs to learn a lot, even though he already showed a lot. What he needs the most, is to take further steps. Not to stay in the same place. There will come moments when maybe he will fall down and he will need to face them, show his strength and stand up. But this is what it’s all about,” says Zorman.

From the next season the playmaker will have his charge under his watchful gaze as Bombac signed a three-year contract with Kielce.

“I obviously asked for Uros’s advice before making the decision about moving on to Kielce. He told me everything was going to be perfect and that I should not worry about anything,” Bombac said about the dilemma.

 “We talked about it,” confirms Zorman “And I already told him he has nothing to hesitate about, just come. These are two, three steps further from what he has got in Szeged now. It’s a good decision. We are fighting for the next FINAL4, if we qualify it will be third time among four years – an amazing success,” he says.

This is exactly why Bombac decided to depart Hungary and head for last year’s bronze medallists. “Szeged has become my second home. I love the city, love the team and love the fans, too. I have only been here for 2 years but it feels like 10. I feel great here and Szeged will always have a place in my heart and I know fans will accept my decision.”

“I am a professional and I have my dreams I want to achieve. I want to win the Champions League and I feel I have a better shot at it by playing for Kielce, who are among the best in Europe,” added Bombac

Aiming for Cologne

MOL-Pick Szeged managed to beat Kielce at home (31:30) in the first round. The hero for the home side was Bombac, who scored 11 goals while Zorman finished the high tempo, intense game on two goals.

“We had lot of injuries, our defence didn’t work well, because we lacked some important players. In the end we lost it, even though we had chances to gain a draw. But Szeged were simply better that time. It was a difficult situation for us as it was a very beginning of the season, but you know, it’s much more important how you finish, not how you begin and as you see, we are fighting for first place now.”

Szeged, who are extremely hard to beat at home, did not prepare well for their trip to Poland as they suffered only the second home defeat in the Champions League against Vardar. “You can’t miss that many open chances against such a good team.

“We prepared well, everything went well in training but sometimes things don’t go according to plan. I believe Szeged can repeat last year’s feat and reach the quarter-final, however, this time it will be even more difficult,” admits Bombac.

Can Bombac be the top scorer of the VELUX EHF Champions League? Well, Zorman is not convinced a good playmaker is measured by his goals.

“I think it will be hard. Mikel Hansen can have more matches, more opportunities to score goals,” says Zorman. “But he is a centre back, he doesn’t need to be the top scorer and that’s the next thing he needs to learn,” he concludes with a smile.