Slovenia have been one of the bright sparks of this men’s Olympic tournament. Impressive wins over Croatia and Sweden helped secure second place in a tight preliminary round group and book a quarter-final with Norway on Wednesday night.
Jure Dolenec is one of the wisest heads in the Slovenian squad with 200 appearances over a 15-year spell, giving him a measured approach to his side’s bright campaign to date.
“We’ve shown some good qualities and good games but the Olympics are just starting now, when the elimination games begin, everything changes.
“The group was important not to go home but, in the end, 4th or 12th – it doesn’t matter, so let’s see what we can do now.”
Fight for your friend
The former Barca and Montpellier right back is a true leader for this team that often gets the neutral fans on their side. The likability of the full squad has a part to play in that, alongside the playing style, and it’s reflected in how the 35-year-old speaks about his squad.
“It doesn’t matter how we play and what the result is, we stick together. We’re a group of friends and this is very important because it’s easier to play with and fight for a friend.
“I’m optimistic about our chances at these Olympics, I like what I’m seeing and the younger guys are taking more responsibility. We probably have the oldest squad with eight guys over the age of 32, so it’s probably our last chance and I think we can do something here.”
Philosophy goes out the window
Last chance is a common theme at these Olympic Games as the enormity of the opportunity and responsibility is not lost on anyone.
With the groundwork laid out in reaching the knockout rounds, Dolenec is ready to do whatever it takes to bring a rare medal home with him.
“At the end of the day, there’s not much philosophy, it’s the quarter-finals and you have to win this game.
“We’ve been to a lot of semi-finals but we have just one medal in my 15 years with the national team. We try to share our experience with the younger guys and understand that even if we win the quarter-final, we haven’t done anything yet, especially at the Olympics, it’s just about the medals, so we’re going to give everything for that.”