One week before the start of the World Cup (January 14-February 2), the coach of the French handball team took stock of the start of preparation before challenging the Czech Republic (January 8) and Portugal (January 10). ).
An update on the injured
“The situation remains complex. We had the pleasure of seeing the evolution of Dika (Mem) who was able to gradually return to the collective. Elohim (Prandi) has just received the green light from the doctors to also resume with the group, which is good news. It is a guarantee of the return of certain vital forces and it also allows us to work well on a daily basis in training. On the other hand, for Hugo (Descat), it is more complicated and he remains on the fringes of the group due to his back problems. They all still have a way to go to get back to 100%.”
How to deal with players in uncertainty
“What is a little tricky today is that we have a group of 20 players at our disposal, with a lot of players who are still in an in-between form and who for once, with the staff, make us question ourselves a lot. But this is the choice that we made by calling up players who were not yet fit to train because we remain optimistic about their return and their potential participation in the next World Cup. But we also of course remain aware that for some, it will be difficult or even not possible in the end when it comes to defining the final contours of the team. The option that was chosen is to bring on the rack people who we know are not able to be 100% to contribute to the preparation of the team. So we already started with the idea that we would have contact with the group of players who are in this gray zone and for whom there will be choices to make.
A new distribution of roles after the departure of glorious elders
“Yes, there is indeed in this new configuration a handover which took place with the redefinition of the statuses within the group. When we lose Nikola Karabatic, Vincent Gérard, Valentin Porte, Timothée N'Guessan, it leaves a void because these are boys who weighed in the life of the team. But it's all being reorganized and that's positive. Now the way I operate with the team remains the same. It is my philosophy to want to empower and obtain a strong commitment from the boys, beyond their own work on their game or their personality. It is a commitment to the service of the group and therefore in this workforce, there are boys who have a role, a mission a little more important than the others to get on board, to unite, to build with us, the staff, the contours of this game project that we wish to improve. For example, Luka (Karabatic), even if he passed on his captain's armband, remains the big brother due to his age. He remains the oldest who supports the group with his experience and his knowledge of major international competitions.
A look back at the failure of the Olympics
“One of the great lessons of the Olympics is that we did not know how to find our fuel, we did not know how to find accuracy in our game and that is what we want to find again. We know that it is through the game, it is through handball and our connection on the pitch that we will find a positive dynamic again.
The advantage of having an affordable first round at the World Cup
“Indeed, we could see it like that. I admit that today, I am not focused on adapting to our future adversaries. I am focused on our group and on how we make it grow in this configuration with the absentees, because we work first with the able-bodied and with those who show lots of good things in training and who are the ones who are most likely to bear responsibilities during the World Cup. Now, we're not holding back anything because we also know the quality and experience of the players who are with us and who are still either in the comeback phase or lacking rhythm. It is this equation that I will have to resolve in the coming days and this week which is coming with the two friendly matches in Strasbourg will also allow us to see things a little more clearly and to be able to announce the group which is going to fly to Croatia.”
A World Cup approached with fewer ambitions
“I wouldn't be comfortable telling you that we're going to do this World Cup just to see. We are the French handball team. Whatever the configurations, I believe that we have always assumed our status, namely being a team that fights in each competition to win it. Today, it is true that the context of the squad is very particular and it is certainly a first to find ourselves with so many players who are not yet at 100% of their possibilities. Now our ambition remains the same. It is at the same time to reposition itself in the elite of the dominating nations. We are coming out of a competition which, in terms of play, gave a bad image to our group and that is what we want to work on. Through the game, through our state of mind, we want to reposition France in its place, in the circle of teams that count.”
Is the current French team stronger than that of the Games?
“These are the endless journalistic questions that compare eras and numbers. What do we say about the Games team compared to the Euro team? What will we say about the Games team compared to the World Cup team? Each story has its own truth and it is an experience that we have to live together. On the other hand, I know that, if we compare the eras, we have always had quality. We still have it today and that's what is most important, because it demonstrates the vitality of French handball. And as an anecdote, we were gathered together yesterday (Sunday) around the broadcast of the first episode of the series BeIN Sports on the world titles of the French team. The image that I had in front of me when I found myself on the stage testifying as a great elder is still rather gratifying. To see all these generations who are in this sector, in this factory which produces quality handball players and which also ensures that our history is part of a duration and a level of performance which are just incredible when we broaden the scope a little. field of reflection.”
The role of Aymeric Minne
“Aymeric is someone who is moving forward, who, through his performances, has established himself strongly within the squad. And of course we count on him, but in the same way as many players. Today, when we see the forms of play used, when we see the versatility of these boys at the back base, is it a center half or a left back? The main thing is that he performs well on the pitch. I don't care where it's useful in the end. He is more identified as a centre-half, but we know his ability to use his qualities when he was also a left-back. It’s not very important in my eyes.”
Comments collected at a press conference
