The 39 best coaches answered the same questions regarding the „seven on six“ rule. Danilo Brestovac, the selector of the men’s national team of Macedonia, also gave an interview in this coaching elite for the German magazine „Handball world“.
Has handball become more attractive due to the change of the „seven to six“ rules?
We are far from the answer, after we have finally accepted the revolutionary rule for proactive handball. There is a serious problem with the new rules that favor the subjective decisions of judges. Attractiveness? We have lost the basic principles and quality of the attack. The attack is reduced to limited movements, creativity is reflected only in the additions of the baseline, with minimal effort to break through the defensive zone. We don’t have changes in positions, we don’t have a one-on-one game.
Has the basic idea of handball changed as a result of this new rule? If so, then why?
With the entry of the seventh player and the advantage of the player more at any moment, he does not put us in an inferior position during the entire match. Is that an idea? Of course not! The dynamics of the game are lost, and the rhythm decreases. So far, we wanted to speed up the game, but in this case we slowed it down. Now the attack must wait for the goalkeeper to be replaced by an attacker.
How has your team’s style of play and system of play changed in relation to the goalkeeper, attack and defense as a result of changing this rule?
This rule puts goalkeepers in the background, their training process has changed. They have to pay more attention to running, and then defend the goal with an increased pulse. Of course, changes have been made in defense, it is harder to defend when the opponent has more players on the field. My style of play does not fit this and I am not a supporter of this rule. I want my team to overcome six players, to have great circulation of the ball in attack, more changes in positions, play, one on one, two on two …
Does this rule strengthen weak teams or create coaches who risk more
Maybe yes, maybe no … A more detailed analysis on this issue is needed. Sometimes weaker teams become equal to those who are better. But, here we should see how in case they are better prepared for that match, what is their motivation. Is the goal just to win or break the opponent. It is necessary to prove statistically whether the weaker teams got closer, with the conditionally better ones.
How do you see goals on an empty goal and their impact on handball?
Maybe goals on an empty goal aren’t as bad to watch as a missed shot. Imagine the quality of a match when you manage to defend and then shoot an empty goal and miss it by two meters. There is no tactics, but precision. In this context, do goals contribute to greater popularity or is it boring to watch goals scored on an empty goal. Where are the goalkeepers? On the bench if not replaced on time. What is the goal of the goalkeeper? To defend himself and eventually launch a counterattack.
If you had the chance, would you change the rule?
I would modify that. I wish I could replace the goalkeeper with a player at times when the player is excluded. But I wouldn’t want to have the opportunity to attack 60 minutes with a player more or defend 60 minutes more. I would like us to have equality on the field, and not for numbers to be an advantage
