Interview with the French national coach Olivier Krumbholz prior to the WCh in Brazil
Once World Champion, twice Vice World Champion – and this year IHF World Handball Coach of the Year: For almost 15 years Olivier Krumbholz has pulled the strings of French women’s handball and has collected many medals, even though his team was constantly changing. In Brazil the French women want to reach at least the semi-finals, after Krumbholz had again formed a new team within two years, which had already caused quite a stir at the 2009 WCh when they took the silver medal.
Many competitors regard your team as one of the top favourites for the WCh in Brazil – do you agree?
Krumbholz: First of all we have to start playing. In the run-up to a major tournament it’s always difficult to define the top favourites. But one thing is true: My team has made enormous progress over the last years and we have achieved some very good results. If it’s at all possible to name a top favourite, I would say Russia – they are the best team at the moment.
Has your team already reached its best possible level?
Krumbholz: I think that our team in Brazil will consist of the best players that we have. Some players certainly still have room for improvement when it comes to their personal development. So we’re still far away from the optimum.
At the 2009 WCh and the 2010 ECh your team had quite a poor start. What have you done to let this not happen again in Brazil?
Krumbholz: We’ve done a lot in the mental field. We’ve worked on the way how we go into the matches and into a tournament, mainly in terms of attack. I hope that we can handle these starting difficulties now.
What’s more important for you in the medium term: the WCh or the Olympics?
Krumbholz: Our goal is to reach the semi-finals of the WCh. If we achieve this goal, we will either become World Champion, which means that we’re directly qualified for the Olympics, or we will host one of the qualification tournaments, which means that we have good chances to go to London.
As the men’s team – as World Champion – is already qualified, what would it mean to French handball if both teams took part in the Olympics?
Krumbholz: I think this doesn’t only concern handball, but the whole of French sport. In many sports, especially in team sports, we have obtained great results, which give hope for the Olympics. Our men’s handball, football and basketball teams are already qualified, and we as well as the women’s basketball team still have the chance to secure the Olympic ticket. If both French handball teams take part in the London Olympics, it means that there are two French medal hopes.
How do you rate your preliminary round group in Brazil, where you face among others Romania and the host?
Krumbholz: This is really not an easy group, as we have two absolute top opponents, and one of them has the advantage of playing at home. So it will be very difficult to come in first in order to be in a good position for the eighth-finals. However we shouldn’t only watch out for Romania and Brazil, we should also have an eye on Japan and Tunisia.
Apart from Russia and your own team, who are your personal WCh favourites?
Krumbholz: Norway has as usual an excellent team and they have already qualified for London, which perhaps won’t make it easier for them though. Behind them there are in my opinion five to six teams at the same level; in addition there might also be a surprise team. I expect Brazil to achieve a brilliant result.
In which areas has your team made the greatest progress?
Krumbholz: Mainly in terms of the understanding of how we want or have to play if we want to succeed. In addition our defence works very well, and we have enormously developed our fast-break play.
If you had the opportunity to choose one player from the successful men’s team for your squad, who would you choose?
Krumbholz: Now I have to think carefully…..I think I would choose Didier Dinart, as he has some exceptional skills and ideas in the defence. But if Nikola Karabatic had a younger sister, she would be very welcome in our team.