A satisfied president

Buducnost T-Mobile is back in the European elite, after five years, thanks to a project carefully implemented by the new management of the Montenegrins. Eurohandball.com asks Predrag Boskovic, president of Buducnost since December 2006, about the big success of the team and about the expectations from the main round.

Eurohandball.com: Buducnost T-Mobile are back in the best eight teams of the Champions League after five years. Your impressions?

Predrag Boskovic: I must say that I’m very proud about this result. This was our goal at the beginning of the season. But we do not have enough time to celebrate because we do have a busy schedule in the Regional League and the main round will come soon.

Eurohandball.com: Buducnost has a young and very talented team. Did you expect reaching the main round against group rivals some of the best European teams such as Hypo and FKC Hanbold?

Predrag Boskovic: We were dreaming about this at the beginning of the season. We knew that we have a good team, but we were afraid that we were still young for big results. The girls have shown that they are able to play good games against the best clubs of Europe.

I was optimistic and I believed that we can continue in the main round, so I was always telling the girls that we are on the necessary level.

Eurohandball.com: In the main round Buducnost will play against Valcea, Krim and Győr. Six more strong games, but what are the chances to make another surprise?

Predrag Boskovic: I told you already that I’m optimistic that we can be equal to any team. If we could play well against Hypo or FCK than we can play well again. We are not the favorites, but what I can promise is that we will do our best. If someone wants to beat us, they will need to do their best too.

Eurohandball.com: A year and a half ago, the management of the club set a goal: back on the top of European handball within three years, going step by step. In the first year you achieved the goal, which was to do better then in the previous season. This season the objective was to reach the main round. It seams that Buducnost are on the right way to achieve the targets.

Predrag Boskovic: That is our main goal. Buducnost has three European trophies (two Cup Winners’ Cup victories and an IHF Cup). But we never won the Champions League.

We reached the semi-finals six times, never a final. That is what our management would like to change. It’s easier to say than do, since women’s competition is much stronger than five or 10 years ago. There is more money in the clubs. But as I said, we will do our best to reach our goals.

Eurohandball.com: Thanks to the good results, the fans are back in “Moraca” hall. It was crowded for all matches like in the best times of the club’s history. With a total of 14,000 fans from three home games, Buducnost set the record in the group phase this CL season.

Predrag Boskovic: Attracting the fans was never a problem for us. Female handball has a big tradition in Podgorica. This season is a little bit different. Now people are living with the girls and they are great support and motivation for them to give 100% every game.

Eurohandball.com: Croatian goalkeeper Sanela Knezovic and left wing Sladjana Grozdanic are new players for the main round. Are you satisfied with the reinforcements? Maybe we can expect someone else?

Predrag Boskovic: Our main problem was a lack of experience. We tried to overcome this with taking part in the Regional League where we had enough very strong games. Still we needed some more experienced players such as Sanela and Sladjana. I think they will be great help for us in the main round. Regarding new reinforcements, we will see. Everything is possible.

Eurohandball.com: If we don’t count those coming from former Yugoslavia, Gyula Zsiga is only the second foreign coach in Buducnost ever after Lim Young-Chulfrom South Korea. How satisfied are you with his work? Could he be a long term solution for Buducnost?

Predrag Boskovic: Gyula did a great job so far. He has a contract for two years and after that we will sit together and talk about the future.