Following the end of the four-year term, Anže Pogačar had only served as a legal representative in the last month. After a very successful season, at the general assembly in April, the Jesenice-based hockey club remained without a president, with Pogačar concluding his term.
On 15 May, the former president explained on the website of the club that – despite calls for participation in Jesenice – the club received no applications for the presidential post. At that time, Pogačar announced that if the new general assembly would not come up with a solution, he would – as the legal representative of the hockey club – start the procedures for its abolition.
In a new press release on Friday, Pogačar explained that he decided to continue working in the club. "We cannot imagine Jesenice and the Gorenjska region having no hockey club, nor no Slovenian national hockey team without hockey in Jesenice. So we've started building the club's leadership in Jesenice, which will create conditions for Jesenice to pursue the title of the Slovenian champion again, the top of the Alpine League and the return of the team to the Ebel League. In the last four years, me and the rest of the club's have dedicated our hearts and souls to the club, so I do not want hockey in this city to decay on the 70th anniversary of its existence. I inform you that today I decided to continue working in the club," wrote Pogačar.
He expressed satisfaction that the President of the Beekeepers' Association Boštjan Noč joined the club. Together they already visited the main sponsor, the Acroni company, part of the SIJ group, d. d., where – in his words – they are very inclined to find solutions for hockey in Jesenice.
He wants to return Jesenice to the Slovenian hockey throne
"I am aware that high-quality players are needed to achieve high goals, and we want to return some 'Jesenice boys' to the Slovenian hockey club, some as active players, others as ambassadors of the club. We will shortly hold talks with some national team members, former players from Jesenice and, of course, with all the players from last season. We want to pay special attention to our fans, without whom there is no 'red pride'. Therefore, we will also contact them to co-create a championship story under the slogan 'One team, one heart'," also wrote Pogačar.
Logar and Alagić already left the club
Details of the Jesenice club's operation in the future will be presented in Jesenice at the general assembly on 14 June. The club has already lost the excellent defender Miha Logar, who has moved to Strasbourg. Attacker Adis Alagić went to Lustenau, and goalkeeper Clarke Saunders is thinking about ending his career.
Last four seasons very successful
In the last four years, Jesenice won the title of the national champion three times (2015, 2017 and 2018), while in 2016 the club lost a decisive match against Olimpija in Tivoli with 0-2. In the previous season, Jesenice was the best club in the Slovenian Cup, with the coach Gaber Glavič laying the foundations for a bright future. In the last two seasons in the Alpine League, the club was eliminated in the semi-finals, although they were very close to success. Asiago and Ritten had more experienced hockey players. The Ebel League is of course a great wish in the club's Podmežakla-based arena, but for the team to be competitive it is necessary to have at least a million euros, which is hardly feasible.
