 This was also the beginning of the decline of the side, the constant loss of its players began to catch up with the club.For the 1996/97 season the club lost Mark Silić, Frank Jurić, Fausto De Amicis, Danny Tiatto and Vinko Buljubašić, the side was decimated.But most importantly the club was no longer replenishing its ranks with new talent from its youth set up at the same rate as it had done in the past.