21.09.2007, 11:26
BUDUCNOST struggling to win

The Montenegrins made some bad results in the preparation period, but Tone Tiselj's young team still needs time and patience to improve.

BUDUCNOST struggling to win

Three international tournaments, nine matches, zero victories – Buducnost T-Mobile are still waiting for their first success in the preparation period. After last places in Hungary and Croatia, the Montenegrin champion finished last also at the tournament in Slovenia. The team of Tone Tiselj lost the first game against Krim Mercator (22:29), and the day after they were defeated by HYPO (19:26) and Podravka (26:34).

Just as before, the result was not important for Buducnost T-Mobile at the tournament in Ljubljana. The three games against strong opponents – all participating in the EHF Champions League – were an occasion to test all players, especially the younger ones.

But, the plan was not successful. Snezana Damjanac and Vinka Vlahovic missed the tournament because of injuries; Marija Jovanovic and Jovanka Radicevic were forced to leave the court before the end of the Krim game (also injured). Dragica Milickovic-Orlandic was not on top physically. Fortunately, the injuries of Radicevic and Jovanovic were not serious, and they are both back in the team.

“I’m satisfied with the games played without four important players, especially against Podravka, when Milickovic-Orlandic some of the match. We had only two hours to rest after the HYPO game, but the girls offered strong resistance against the Croatian side that played very quickly and defeated Krim easily.

“The matches in Slovenia were perhaps not ideal for us this moment, because the teams we played against are very strong and experienced ones. But, not everything is so gloomy as it seemed after the match against Krim. Anyway, it is obvious that the changes we made are not easy for the players and for me, so we have some problems.

“We play well for some parts of the game, but than it happens that we lose concentration. The important is that the girls gain international experience, which will be useful for them in the future,” said Tone Tiselj.

The coach of Buducnost T-Mobile is well aware of the weaknesses of the team.

“Apart from experience, most players are physically weaker, because their young age than the players of Krim, HYPO, Podravka or all other top teams of Europe. We need time to compensate that, but I’m happy that we have enough qualities to keep the game rhythm against teams at the tournament in Slovenia if we play once a week. It is important that we keep working for tomorrow, which is our goal.

“If someone in Montenegro thinks that this young team can change drastically over night, than he is wrong. We must be patient, that’s the only way to succeed at the end,” Tiselj conluded.

From Thursday to Saturday, Buducnost T-Mobile will host an international tournament in Bijelo Polje (city in Northern Montenegro), playing against the Macedonian Kometal Gjorce Petrov, Serbian Lasta and the second team of Bududnost, Bonus Petrol, that are playing in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

TEXT: Sasa Joncic