Mladost has parted ways with head coach Damir Vincek after less than a year in charge.
The decision comes after a difficult stretch for the club, including a heavy 17:12 loss to Radnicki in the Premier League last Saturday, and a narrow defeat to Szolnok in the Euro Cup just two days earlier, where they fell 18:17 in a penalty shootout.
For a team packed with big names and Olympic talent—such as Josip Vrlic, Andrija Basic, and Konstantin Harkov—the results have been underwhelming. Mladost invested heavily over the summer to assemble this squad, bringing in experienced veterans like Ivan Marcelic and Ivan Buljubasic, but the performances have not met the high expectations.
In a statement on the club’s website, the management wrote:
“Unfortunately, the recent poor results at the very start of the season have led to the club’s decision to end its cooperation with Mr. Vincek as the head coach of the first team. Despite good cooperation and a positive atmosphere within the team, as well as high-quality training, the level of play in most matches did not meet expectations, and consequently, neither did the results. After thorough analysis and consultation, the club’s management concluded that the only solution at this time is a change in the leadership of the professional staff.
We sincerely thank Mr. Vincek for his sacrifice, dedication, and work with the first team.”
Hrvoje Hrestak, the former assistant coach of HAVK Mladost’s first team, will take over coaching duties during the transition period and will lead the team in their upcoming Euro Cup match against Pro Recco on Thursday, October 17.