Team Shake-up Required, Goals Remain Unchanged

Branko Tamša’s Coaching Career at Nexea Comes to an End

Branko Tamša is no longer the coach of Nexea, as announced by the Našić club following Tamše’s fourth loss to Sesvet in his Slavonic stint. Tamše, who is considered the most successful coach in Nexea’s history, has parted ways with the club. However, his contributions will not be forgotten; he will be remembered as one of the legends of the Croatian runner-up.

Ergović’s Statement on Tamša’s Dismissal

Nexea’s president, Josip Ergović , addressed the club’s decision in a statement on their website, explaining that the recent defeat against Sesvet was not the sole reason for Tamša’s dismissal. He stated, “After last year’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the Croatian Cup, also by Sesveta, which was absolutely unacceptable for us, we resolutely stood by the coach without any consequences, both for him and for the players.” Ergović also acknowledged Sesvete’s strength as a team, stating, “Sesvete is a very good team, it’s a sport and we understand that.”

Ergović’s Reflection on the Champions League Defeat

Ergović expressed his disappointment in the team’s performance at the beginning of the Champions League. “Although this defeat is not a tragedy for us because we have our destiny in our hands, I am of the opinion that this kind of approach by coaches and players should not happen to a club like RK Nexe. We lost by five goals, we conceded as many as 38 goals in addition to the fact that we never had a lead.”

Foto: Goran Stanzl/PIXSELL

Ergović’s Respect for Tamše

Despite the disappointment, Ergović expressed his respect for Tamše and acknowledged his significant contributions to Našić and Croatian handball. Tamše came to Našice at a pivotal moment when the club was starting a new era of development, with the aim of becoming a modern European club. His contributions have been instrumental in building the club’s infrastructure and helping the first team achieve their goals.

Looking Forward

Ergović also acknowledged that the responsibility for not meeting the club’s goals is shared among the entire team and coaching staff, and not just Tamše. “We are happy with the players we have, they are great guys, but we haven’t seen them at their best. We don’t want to amnesty them from guilt, but we had to shake up the team and turn to solutions that will bring out that one more dimension from this team.”

As Nexea moves forward, Ergović affirmed that their goals remain the same, regardless of who takes over as coach. And for the next season, the level of ambition will be even higher.