He also said goodbye to Mika, who smoothly transitioned from the Zuber jersey to the role of coach

“It was a very emotional evening, you could feel it before the match, during it and after it ended,” recounted Rob Zubří, the former midfielder of the Extraliga handball team.

Even though they beat Frýdek 31:29, it was a sad point after a turbulent year. The five-goal team did not make up for the deficit from the away game and ended the season in eighth place. After the bronze and the fourth place, retreat from glory.

“We will not lie to ourselves. It’s not success. But after all the vicissitudes with the injured players, the coach’s health problems, we couldn’t wait any longer,” commented Mika, whose farewell was marred by an ankle injury.

That is also why he is finally happy that he decided to accept the offer to become the head coach of the A team. The head might want to, but the body said enough.

“I guess it was meant to be. I am a fatalist and I believe in fate. After all these years, it was a lot for him,” said Mika.

He has now switched to trainer mode. The preparation plan is ninety percent complete. After the reconditioning block in May, the players will get a month off and in mid-July they will start summer drills for the new season.

“Now we are dealing with the staff,” said Mika. Departures outweigh arrivals. In addition to him, Montenegrin midfielder Durovič (end of contract), Polish sniper Kaminski (end of loan), head of defense Havran (Hungary) and winger Bajer (Karviná) will no longer play in Zubrá. The announced transfer of Palát to Brno has not yet been confirmed.

Meanwhile, the club announced the comeback of two of its wards from the second German Bundesliga – after seven years, pivot Petr Šlachta (31) and after fourteen years, winger Jakub Hrstka (34) are heading home.

“It’s perfect that the guys that the club brought up are coming back. That’s how it should work,” praises Mika.

He mainly hopes for goals from his peer Hrstka, with whom he grew up in Zubří. The nobility will help offensively and defensively, where there is a hole left after Havran.

“We are still looking for a left-hander for the right clutch. We had a Pole at the test, but we didn’t agree. We wouldn’t like to stick it with a right-hander,” said Mika.

Young foster children will get a chance, but not to the same extent as in previous years. “He has to gain experience in the first league,” outlined the new coach.