Celje part ways with coach Tamse; Ocvirk named replacement

Slovenian champions RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko have confirmed that Branko Tamse is no longer their coach and will be replaced by Tomaz Ocvirk. 

Tamse and Celje were beaten by Riko Ribnica in Round 4 of the Slovenian league, their first loss in the league in almost three years.

Celje had won all domestic titles during Tamse’s time at the club until recently, when they lost the season-opening Super Cup against Krka.

RK Celje Pivovarna Laško president Jernej Smisl said: “We are thankful to Branko for his work, which was much more than just 14 titles be won. It was a fruitful cooperation and he will always be welcomed in Zlatorog in the future.”

Branko Tamse thanked fans for the support he had in all this years and wished the young team success in the future in the club’s press release: “It all came pretty quickly, overnight. I did my best to work with these youngsters, but it did not work out.”

Tamse's replacement, Ocvirk, previously coached the Celje youth team and was once on court for the Slovenian club as a player. 

“It's a tough challenge, I hope we will do it right. It's an honour for me to take over the first team,” says Ocvirk. “I have to sit down with my colleagues and talk – then we will have more to say.”

Ocvirk will guide the young Celje team for Sunday’s VELUX EHF Champions League clash against Flensburg as they hope to earn their first points of the campaign.