Before the 1st leg final match of Women's Champions League, eurohandball.com talked to coach of Krim Mercator Tone Tiselj. He is one of the most successful and highly respected coaches in Europe. Six years with Krim was a long period and he will...

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Before the 1st leg final match of Women's Champions League, eurohandball.com talked to coach of Krim Mercator Tone Tiselj. He is one of the most successful and highly respected coaches in Europe. Six years with Krim was a long period and he will leave the club after this season. He has taken Krim to 4 finals and 2 titles will it be a case of third time lucky?

Eurohandball.com: Mr. Tiselj, on Sunday you will take Krim Mercator to its fifth CL final and the fourth under your supervision. How optimistic are you before the first leg match?

Tone Tiselj: We have reached 4 finals in 6 years, this is a great achievement. What we have achieved this year is for me the biggest success of all as we have had problems with injuries since the beginning of the season. The girls have not only realised our goals, but have surpassed them. I must congratulate them. Now I wish for a nice ending of the season and two spectacular final matches. The girls deserve a good finish.

Eurohandball.com: You already faced Viborg in the final in season 2000/01. Can you compare past to present?

Tone Tiselj: No, absolutely not. We were in a specific situation then. We were “hungry” for success, highly motivated and self-confident. Our team was younger and more powerful.

Eurohandball.com: Viborg was defeated by Krim twice this season. What will be the key moment on Sunday?

Tone Tiselj: There is no doubt; Viborg is a team of a “super quality” that has improved its playing very much during the season. I am aware what a difficult mission is awaiting us. I think this time they can be much more confident than we are.

Eurohandball.com: Do you still have problems with injuries in your team?

Tone Tiselj: We have had problems for the whole season. At this moment only Maryna Vergelyuk is prepared as she should be. Others, Derepasko, Yatsenko, Freser, Kurent are under big pressure. It is a big question if Krim will be able to keep up with Viborg's tempo.

Eurohandball.com: This is your last season in Krim. Why have you decided to leave the club where you reached the biggest successes in Slovenian handball?

Tone Tiselj: I once read a book where it was written: This was a long period and I went through everything. From difficult beginnings to the top and then falling down. I do not have as much motivation to stay here anymore. Especially everything changed this season. We had to compromise training sessions because players were not able to do more and the motivation was also totally different. The belief in winning and victory demand great effort. I need a change.

Eurohandball.com: And what is your next goal and destination?

Tone Tiselj: I do not know yet. Everything is “frozen” until 20th May when the CL is finished. I just know that I need peace and a place where aims will not be as high as in Krim. I want to be with my family more than has been possible in the past years; I did not have a lot of time. Professional handball wants the “whole” person.


Interview: Maja Mastnak, SiOL-Sportal