Ljubomir Vranjes after two years on the job

Since November 2010, Ljubomir Vranjes has been the coach at SG Flensburg-Handewitt. ehfCL.com spoke with the 39 years-old Swede about the situation in the VELUX EHF Champions League and his little anniversary.

ehfCL.com: Flensburg has started with six points from the opening four games in Group A of the VELUX EHF Champions League. What do you think about this start?
Ljubomir Vranjes: I'm quite happy, after all we have not lost a game yet. The next three games will show which way it will go for us.

ehfCL.com: Now two games with Hamburg are on the agenda, at home and away. Is this an early indicator of who is going to win the group?
Ljubomir Vranjes: We want to make it difficult for Hamburg. Especially in their home game as they are the favourite. No matter what the results will are like, the positions in the group are not decided so early, we have to wait until February. We still have to deal with the trips to Montpellier and Chekhov in the final games.

ehfCL.com: It is now two years since you took over in Flensburg. Is there a game which has a special place in your memory?
Ljubomir Vranjes: There were many. In February and March 2011 we had so much bad luck with injuries, but my team managed it amazingly well. They impressed me more than once because I was particularly proud of their performances. One example is a time where I had to order three physical therapists in training and our doctor in the defence, because we had so few players. Nevertheless we won the next day in Szeged with one goal.

ehfCL.com: When you look back, what are you doing differently now, than two years ago?
Ljubomir Vranjes: Two years ago I did not know that I wanted to be a coach. Now I am satisfied with my decision. I have a long-term plan. If we end up between fifth and eighth place one season in the German Bundesliga, then we must live with this. We must have patience.

ehfCL.com: You now know the roles as player and coach. Which is easier?
Ljubomir Vranjes: It is easier as a player. The difficulty as a player is to perform to 100%. With all of the travelling and the high workload, handball players must pay attention to their recovery. I have to consider this as coach, especially during the VELUX EHF Champions League.