Croatia’s U18 men’s team was eliminated from the European Championship already in the group stage. Now, the team’s coach, Nenad Šoštarić, is furious about the tournament format.
– Whoever designed such a system should lock themselves away somewhere and never be seen in handball again, says Croatia’s successful coach from the 2020 Euro to Balkan Handball.
For this summer’s youth championship, the format was changed. Instead of all group winners and second-placed teams advancing to the main round, now only the six group winners and the two best second-placed teams proceed. This change is something Croatian head coach Nenad Šoštarić is not at all happy with.
– That you can be eliminated after the first match by a single goal, I find that outrageous and stupid, especially with the explanation that the result isn’t important but rather player development. Wait a minute, we’re at the European Championship! How can the result not be important? says Šoštarić, who was head coach for Croatia’s women’s team when they won their first medal in a championship at Euro 2020.
Croatia lost their first group match to Serbia by one goal, finishing second in Group A. To advance to the main round, the team needed to be the best second-placed team among the teams in Groups A to C. Norway secured that spot, despite Croatia’s +13 goal difference.
The final spot in the main round went to Hungary, which, with a +3 goal difference, was the best of the second-placed teams in Groups D to F.
– This is disrespectful to the players and the sport, and no one can convince me that these are the eight best teams. I have been in handball for nearly 50 years, and I have never seen a more complicated and unfair system. It’s pointless to even talk about it, concludes the 65-year-old.