Pajovic: “Anything can happen at home”

If you want to become a great coach, you have to learn a lot from even greater coaches – this is the motto of the new Austrian men’s head coach Ales Pajovic.

The Slovenian is the successor of Icelandic-born Patrekur Johannesson and will lead the team into a home EHF EURO 2020, co-hosted alongside Sweden and Norway. The first challenge for Pajovic and his team will be the EHF EURO Cup double-header against EHF EURO 2018 champions Spain on 11 and 14 April.

The 40-years-old former Ciudad Real and THW Kiel player will also coach HSG Graz until the end of the Austrian league season, before switching his full focus to the national team. He moved to Graz in 2015, first as a player, before becoming coach.

“Talant Dujshebaev and his former assistant coach Raul Gonzalez, who later-on steered Vardar to the winner’s podium of the EHF Champions League, have influenced me most, when they coached me at Ciudad Real,” Pajovic says about his roots as a coach.

“I even played with Talant in the latter stages of his career. We won the Champions League three times – and I learnt so much from him,” explained Pajovic, who played for Ciudad Real from 2003 to 2009, winning the EHF Champions League trophy three times in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

But it was not only the Spanish style of handball coaching which influences Pajovic: “Later-on, Noka Serdarusic was my coach at Kiel and the Slovenian national team and his tactical knowledge impressed me a lot.”

Preperation is everything

In terms of his own style of coaching, the Slovenian always focusses on fighting spirit and a strong defence.

“You can only win a match with a strong defence and if you know the opponent’s attacking style very well and this means preparation is everything. You have to get all information you need and then you can adapt your tactics.”

After Austria failed to progress from the preliminary round of January’s World Championship, the federation decided a change in coach was needed. Pajovic was the chosen man and his expectations for EHF EURO 2020 on home court are huge.

“The team has great potential. We only have to improve little things in the whole system, for example, being more aggressive in defence and scoring more easy goals. We definitely have to increase our speed in attack.”

His first week with the team began on 8 April and alongside preparing for Spain, the Slovenian has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve.

“I want to use this starting period for intense talks with the players. I want to receive clear feedback, what they need and want to improve. But we still need some time to adapt and find a well-balanced team.

“It is too early to name a certain goal for EHF EURO 2020. First, when we know our opponents, we can talk about it, but what I know from my personal experience is when you play a major competition at home, with the huge support from the stands, anything can happen.”

“I have played so many major competitions at club and national team level, so it was great to receive this great offer and I am sure we can achieve a lot in the future,” concludes Pajovic.

Photo credit: Ewa Manhart