(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Slovenia can be a perfect example and role model for Qatar in terms of using home advantage to fly on the wings of success. In 2004, this small alpine country hosted a major men's handball event for the first time € and they made the best of it. While hosting the European Championship that year Slovenia reached the semi-final where they defeated neighbour Croatia and made their nation proud by advancing to the final. Despite their defeat to Germany in the final in Ljubljana, the team was on a roll, winning Slovenia's first handball medal on the international stage.
Some players from that 2004 silver medal-winning squad are still part of the current line-up that qualified for Qatar 2015, playmaker Uros Zorman among them. After two Champions League trophies with the Spanish side Ciudad Real, Zorman is now contracted by the Polish powerhouse Vive Kielce and remains a cornerstone of the Slovenian national team.
In 2004 Zorman was also part of the successful squad of Slovenian record champions Pivovarna Lasko Celje, which made that year one to remember. Celje beat SG Flensburg-Handewitt to take the Champions League trophy, making Slovenia just the second country with clubs winning both men's and women's Champions League titles. Spain was the first.
As is typical in all post-Yugoslav countries, Slovenian players are highly skilled in both technique and tactics.
Though the current team is not as tall as their opponents they can overcome that deficiency with their speed and ability to break through a defence with one-to-one actions.
In recent years Slovenia has experienced a true roller coaster ride. In 2013 they sensationally reached the World Championship semis for the first time where they were defeated by host Spain and later finished fourth after falling to Croatia in the bronze medal match. But just five months later a defeat to Belarus meant Slovenia would miss their first EHF EURO tournament event since 2000.
In qualification for the 2015 World Championship in Qatar, Boris Denic's team struck back by overcoming the challenge posed by the favoured Hungarians. Ironically, Hungary was the team that eliminated Slovenia on their way to the 2011 World Championship in Sweden, so their brilliant 32:26 second leg win over Laszlo Nagy & Co. was somewhat of revenge.
In Doha, they will not only face Spain again in Group A preliminary round action, but also host Qatar. In addition, Brazil, Chile and € again a chance for taking revenge € Belarus are their competitors on the way to the eighth-finals. For team manager Uros Morovic, who was the official Slovenian representative at the draw event in July in Doha, the group is manageable.
"Slovenia is satisfied, it's a very interesting group because we lost to Spain in the semi-finals of the 2013 World Championship, and then we also lost to Belarus in the qualifications for the European Championship," Morovic said. "Qatar is the host and the two South American teams we don't know much about. So it's a very tough group, but we should get to at least the second spot in the group to get a good opponent for the eighth-finals and the quarter-finals, which is our main goal."
Morovic also praised the organizers. "I am confident this is going to be the best World Championship so far because it's quite spectacular with all the arenas and the hotels, and because Qatar is growing into a handball nation year-by-year."
The general base of the squad is formed from the two top clubs, Celje and Gorenje Velenje. But due to the rocky financial situation in Slovenian handball, most of the key players are contracted abroad.
Five of them are with 2003 Champions League winner MAHB Montpellier: Vid Kavticnik, another "survivor" of the 2004 team; top scorer and 2013 Most Valuable Player of the IHF Super Globe Dragan Gajic; Matej Gaber; and the two talents Jure Dolenec and Borut Mavkousek. Another top star, wing Gasper Marguc, joined Hungarian side Veszprem this past summer.
And the next generation is already knocking at the door. In August the Slovenian boys sensationally won the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games, beating defending champions Egypt in the final after defeating Qatar in the preliminary round. Players like goalkeeper Urh Kastelic and Gal Marguc, brother of Gasper, will make their mark on Slovenian handball's future.
But in the present Boris Denic € at the moment also coach of the Dinamo Minsk club side € hopes to qualify for Olympic qualification tournament in Doha as well since Slovenia fell short for the 2008 and 2012 Games.
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