Former Croatian national team goalkeeper Vlado Sola was presented as the new head coach of HC PPD Zagreb on Friday after the club parted ways with Igor Vori.

Sola is the 10th Zagreb head coach in five years. His first EHF Champions League match at the helm of Zagreb will be the away game at Barça on Wednesday (14 October).

Sola's announcement followed shortly after the Croatian champions ended the term of Vori, the club legend who had been in charge of the team for just four months.

However, three consecutive defeats at the start of the EHF Champions League season prompted the club to react.

"It is not an easy task"

"It is not an easy task to take over the club in this kind of a situation. We don’t have much time until the next match," said Sola, who played for Zagreb in the past.

"I have to say it is an honour to lead a club like Zagreb. I will give my best on the court and try to transfer all my knowledge," he added. "We have tough matches in front of us. We must prepare for Celje and Zaporozhye, who will be one of our main opponents."

A 221-time Croatian international, Sola ended his playing career in Zagreb in 2008. He also played in Medvescak, Sisak, Minden, Chambéry, and Veszprém. He sharpened his coaching skills in Doha, Moscow, Dubrava and Bejing Sport University.

Sola won gold with Croatia at the World Championship 2003 in Portugal and the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece, and further medals at two World Championships and an EHF EURO, and two bronze medals as a goalkeeper coach at the national team.

"We decided that something has to change"

Earlier Friday, Zagreb said the club's management and Vori had a few meetings during the week, and they came to the conclusion that changes were needed if Zagreb want to reach their season objectives.

"We decided that something has to change. Two losses in the SEHA league and three in the EHF Champions League are in conflict with our goals," club director Vedran Supukovic said.

"The new head coach, Vlado Sola, is a familiar face to us, and he knows our playing system," Supukovic said. "He is a handball legend and I believe this will be a positive shock to the team."

Igor Vori came as a replacement for Veselin Vujovic in June 2020. Leading the EHF Champions League record participants was Vori's first coaching job, but 39-year-old from Zagreb lost the first five matches of the season.