He undid it on the court, in teams that won everything or almost everything in Argentine handball. He raised cups of all sizes and shapes, both in the lower and First Division. As Michel Jordan, Rodolfo Jung It seemed to break the law of gravity. At almost six feet tall and 98 kilos, he remained floating in the air after a suspension, waiting for the outstretched hands of his markers to collapse and fall. That’s when Pucho threw Pretentious, he always aimed at the upper angles. And he rejoiced when the ball measuring 58 centimeters in circumference hit the stick and went in. Much more so if it was a goal after hitting the wooden crossbar. The public laughed at him for that language that, like a tic, he showed before facing his rivals.
The success on the field extended him as a coach. He put together great championship teams and developed players who stood out in the Argentine National Team, where he also knew how to leave his mark as a central point guard. Mature and hungry for glory, now it’s his turn to lead The Gladiators. Jung took office only two months ago and with little preparation time he already has a litmus test that should not be such: a World Cup that for the first time will be played in three power countries: Denmark, Norway and Croatia.
Both in the Argentine Handball Confederation and himself Pucho understand that the challenge of this new stage of Los Gladiadores is to face a renewal as long awaited as it is necessary that can be sustained for several years. And it won’t be easy: the generation that is beginning to leave knew how to leave its mark with great games and very good results, especially at the continental level.
In World Cups, however, Argentina still has a large pending account. He never managed to get into the top 10 on the planet. In the last competition, held in Poland and Sweden, the team led by Guillermo Milan He did poorly and finished in 19th place. The best historical classification was in Egypt 2021, when he finished in 11th place, with a phenomenal victory against Croatia.
In the Olympic Games, after never having been able to qualify before, The Gladiators have made four consecutive appearances since London 2012. But they never managed to advance to the round and they only won two games out of the 20 they played – in Paris 2024 there were five defeats that condemned them to 12th place among 12 participants, just like in Tokyo 2020 -.
This World Cup in Croatia, Denmark and Norway will be the first of the last five in which they will not be the Simonets. Los Power Rangersas some of their former colleagues affectionately told them, with whom they had good times and others not so much.
Diegothe most talented of the family, was summoned by Jung but is coming off an injury. He informed the coaching staff that he arrived very recently and that, this time, he prioritized recovery to be well in the demanding French league where he plays for Montpellier.
Diego, Pablo and Sebastián during the media wedding of the youngest of the Simonet dynasty, a surname that left its mark on the Argentine handball team.your brother Pablo He is the youngest and plays in the Spanish tournament. He just married Pilar Campoyplayer of The Lionesses of field hockey, in a very high-profile event. He asked the coaching staff for a privilege: to join training several weeks after his teammates. Finally, like Diego, he also left due to an injury. Neither of them will play in the World Cup.
The eldest of the Simonets, Sebastiánis now retired and is dedicated to representing handball players with another former Gladiator, the left-handed Federico Vieira. Before, he had run a business in Spain with another former colleague without much luck. Several of those represented were from the teams that they themselves were part of. The Argentine Handball Confederation recognizes that there may have been some irregularity when Vieira was manager of the National Team, a position he left because he considered it incompatible with his other job.
The father of the Simonets, Luiswas a brave pivot when it was called a circulator. He played for Ferro in the ’80s, he also had a not very long stint with the National Team. With more drive than skill, he is remembered for his battles with defenders to gain some square meter that allows him to receive the ball. With his children wearing the light blue and white, he became a fervent fan of Los Gladiadores, attracting national sportswear companies to dress the players and, in the process, try to establish himself in the market.
Sebastián, Pablo and Diego Simonet, along with their father, Luis. This will be the first World Cup of the last five in which they will not be. The World Cup will begin this Tuesday. And one day later, from 2pm in Zagreb, The new Gladiators will debut against Egypt, a top team in the world. Today it is among the top five best on the planet, with great players who have stood out for years in the best handball leagues. The other two rivals in the area are the host, Croatiay Bahrainthe rival to beat to aspire to advance to the next round, since the best three from each of the eight groups will qualify for the second phase.
The challenge is huge since the Argentine Handball Confederation itself and the National Team explain that the decision was made to accelerate the generational change. And they argue it. “The truth is that it is difficult and difficult to remove players who spent so many years in the National Team. As in any highly competitive sport, it was time to face renewal. There was a very large team left. In the last Olympic Games it was the largest average age,” says Jung. The average in Paris 2024 was 32 years old compared to 26 for the current squad.
Martín Jung, Pucho’s son, is one of the great promises in the renewal of Los Gladiadores.And he adds: “Keeping the same squad for so long, no matter how good they may have been, causes several layers of players who come asking for a lead to burn out. Now we are trying to make room for the youngest ones so that, with time, they can leave.” forming and acquiring international contact. I would tell you that we are obliged to do so.
The group that was put together for this World Cup, at least mentally, seems to be prepared to go for great things. Although everyone knows the limitations in play, tactics, international contact and, above all, biotype of the Argentine handball player compared to that of the great powers.
Pucho Jung stood out in the team that marked a before and after in Argentine handball, with almost a decade of hegemony. The Gladiators have just played a triangular match in Doha where they were able to defeat, after 12 years, Slovakia, a team that is not usually one of the strong ones but is still European, with many years competing in powerful leagues.