the essential
Top scorer in the history of Fenix, left winger Nemanja Ilic is a privileged witness to the evolution of the club, second in the championship.
Fenix has had a great start to the season with 11 victories in 13 matches in all competitions: is this even more appreciable for you who have experienced darker times since your arrival at the club in 2013?
Tuesday evening (31-30 victory against the Germans from Gummersbach in the European League, Editor’s note) will remain in collective memories: beating big European teams in front of your audience is obviously special. It’s obvious that the club has progressed a lot since I arrived in 2013. We have gained in consistency. Over the past few seasons, it’s been getting better and better every year.
Also read:
European Handball League: led by a great Belkaied and a striking Jarry, Fenix Toulouse offers a great success against Gummersbach
How do you explain this development?
There are several factors. The first thing is that our workforce is more and more stable. The second is that thanks to our recent results we are able to attract more players and the third is that we are able to keep them longer too. It’s a virtuous circle: the club reaps the fruits of its performances, it’s everyone’s work that pays off.
Also read:
European Handball League: “Everyone has taken a liking to defending well at Fenix”, welcomes Bakary Diallo before the Gummersbach reception
You who have been around for a long time, what do you think of the staff’s contribution?
Dani (Danijel Andjelkovic, the head coach, Editor’s note) and Rémy (Calvel, his assistant, Editor’s note) have great experience as players and that is important. They have a real knowledge of the game. They are very attentive to group life, they manage it all very well. Frankly, they do a huge job with Antoine (Magnard, the goalkeeper coach and responsible for the video, Editor’s note) who spends his nights in front of his computer (smile). They were voted best staff in France two years in a row (2022 and 2023) and they would have deserved it again last season.
The great escape?
To end their series of nine matches in four weeks, Toulouse will be entitled to a high-stakes match this evening against the best team in the second car, the one which is trying as best it can to keep up with the frantic pace of the first four (Paris, Toulouse, Montpellier and Nantes). Fifth, the Varois are four points behind Fenix who, if successful, would already have a comfortable lead in the race for Europe. Ahead of this last meeting before the international break, Danijel Andjelkovic however insisted on the current form of Saint-Raphaël who have won five of their last six matches. The Fenix have won their six home matches since the start of the season.
Senegal
