Interview with Marija Lojanica

 

Marija Lojanica has joined the staff of Telekom Veszprém from 1 July, and next week she get right into work with the team in order to gain the best possible form for the start of the new season. We asked our Serbian conditional coach a few things about herself and her work in her previous team. The new staff member will replace Sergio Sanchez Lopez, who travelled home.

 

 

Yes, I am very excited. This is a new challenge for me. I cannot wait to start the first practice and to meet the staff and the players.

 

It was a very successful season. I was there for five years, I worked with the women’s team also. We played two Champions League finals but lost both of them. We won the Champions League with the men’s team this year, although no one believed in it. I am happy that I will leave Vardar this way, with the champions’ trophy.

 

Both teams are professionals and it is easy to work with them. The difference, maybe, is the energy. Men teams are totally relaxed, while women are more sensitive. With men, it is only training, then we can drink some coffee or beer. Much easier.

 

I started working as a conditional coach 15 years ago. First, I was in tennis. I worked with our tennis player, Ana Ivanovic, and I was with her for a year. After that, I worked in Belgrade with football players from our youth national teams, then with some volleyball players and handball players. After working with handball players, I started working with some of the women’s national team of Serbia. Then I got an offer to work with Vardar and I took it.

 

 

They received my program during the summer, so they met me through that. I do not know if they liked it or not, but that is the way I am doing. I sent them some programs and I think they should be 60% ready for the next step. I will do some checks, and medical checks. I will need around one or two weeks just to see everything, every details. Then I will know how to work with them. I am not saying that I am very strict with my paper, that I wrote down but I think we will do a good job in these three weeks before the start of the season. I plan to run a lot and to do gym a lot, then they will play some handball. It is the most important.

 

I want to win the Champions League, of course, and everything we play in. SEHA League and domestic leagues as well. I am heading to the top all the time. My goals are high, so I am expecting the best from the team and the staff as well.

 

Thank you and good luck to you!

 

 

Photo: Dávid Vörös