Nurturing a great generation of young talent was supposed to bring Hungary to the top in the next few years, but a disappointing early exit in the group phase of the Men’s EHF EURO 2022 has rocked the European powerhouse to the core.

As the fallout has been cleared, Hungary are now preparing for the Qualification Phase of the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship and a new coach has been named just a month before their double-header against Israel or Lithuania.

Jose Maria “Chema” Rodriguez, the former assistant of Istvan Gulyas, has replaced the Hungarian coach as the new coach of Hungary men’s senior national team, and will make his debut in a friendly double-header against Germany on 19 and 20 March.

“The result in the EHF EURO has hurt to this day, as we started the tournament with high hopes, and for two years, this competition has been the focus of our work,” said Rodriguez, after his appointment.

“This is why I accepted the offer that has been presented and the desire to prove our worth is even higher now. I believe in the team and in myself,” added Rodriguez, according to the official website of the Hungarian Handball Federation (MKSZ).

A former centre back and winner of the 2005 IHF Men’s World Championship with Spain, who also secured bronze at Sweden 2011, Rodriguez has slowly become one of the best young coaches in handball.

He spent his final years of his career playing for Hungarian powerhouse Telekom Veszprém HC (2012-2017), before he moved to French outfit Saran Loiret, where he played between 2017 and 2020.

However, his penchant for tactics, as it usually happens with centre backs, has been observed by the MKSZ, who asked Rodriguez in 2019 to team up with Gulyas as the assistant coach of the Hungary men’s senior national team.

The 2008 and 2009 EHF Champions League winner with Ciudad Real has been indispensable in the past years, delivering passionate speeches and scouting opponents, being instrumental in helping Hungary seal the fifth place at the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship in Egypt, the best finish in the competition since Japan 1997, when Hungary finished fourth.

“We are trying to give new input in the tactical game plan, in what we tell the players, and trying to help the players improve and adapt to the different situations in the games,” said Rodriguez to ihf.info during Egypt 2021.

Chema Rodriguez will become the third Spanish coach in the history of the Hungary men’s senior national team after Talant Dujshebaev (2014-2016) and Xavi Sabate (2016-2017).

According to the official MKSZ website, Rodriguez, who is also serving as the coach of Portuguese club team SL Benfica, signed a contract until 2024, with the clear objective of qualifying for the Olympic Games for the first time since London 2012.

“The EHF EURO participation was a disappointment for us, but we saw some clear signs that the cooperation with Chema Rodriguez can be successful in the future, as he has helped the team earn some great places in the standings at Egypt 2021 and at the EHF EURO 2020,” concluded MKSZ Secretary General Gabriella Horvath.

Photo: Hungarian Handball Federation