The coach who won the European League has found the big problem of Romanian handball: “You broke the market”

He told his experiences during the final, when he realized that Thurimger can pass by Ikast, how many greeting messages he received after victory and why he does not think he would train in Romania.

– Herbert hello, congrats on winning the trophy. Did the euphoria pass?

– I can't believe now that we managed to win the EHF European League final. For us it was an exceptional experience to reach Graz again and we wanted to play better than last year. Even though Ikast was favorite, we were very fitted and we wanted to win, we gave everything we could and with the supporters we succeeded. It is my biggest performance and club performance, even though in Germany I have won 10 times the title. At the European level it is an excellent result, I had emotions when I played with Braila and Vâlcea, and after winning the trophy I received congratulations from all over the world, starting with the coach of France, to the ordinary supporters. I got 232 messages on your phone. I can't even believe what impact this victory had and how many people have followed us. I worked enormously and I am very proud of what I got. I had great emotions, I was overwhelmed by feelings at the end of the match and for this reason they gave me tears.

“The impossible became possible!”

– Ikast was favorite in the final. Why do you think your team won?

– I had a clear plan in the final and I knew that if in the 50th minute we were close to Ikast, we could win. A first important moment was that at the break it was only 16-15 for Ikast, it was hard at 15-11, Danes ran like rabbits and we had to bring them into the position game, we had to break their pace and we succeeded. In the second half we went to plus 4 and then we felt we could win. You have to make a play plan and have variants B and C because not all the time your tactics succeeds, because the opponent thinks. It mattered a lot and the motivation of the players, I encouraged the girls, were over 100%. I trusted girls and them in me. When I saw Ikast's lot I said it was almost impossible, but it was a weekend in which the impossible became possible. It is an exception that I made with Thuringer, with a budget of about 1.3 million euros. Usually the rich teams, with big budgets, win the trophies, because they also have the best players. I managed with 7 new players compared to the last season, who wanted to self-depart, who have a fighter mentality and folded on the formation expression. We have a very united team. It is increasingly difficult to find such players.

“There is no patience in Romania. Young players have to play!”

– In Romania, a lot of money is investing in handball, but the results are not proportional to the money invested. Why do you think the desired results are not achieved?

– You must be patient, to build, to develop, in perspective for the national of Romania. You have to let the coach work, but in Romania everyone wants “yesterday”, it is not patience. Nobody is put over the coach, not to impose players or game systems in the team. I know that a lot of money is put in the Romanian handball, but a team has to grow, gain experience, young players have to play.

“The players come to Romania just for money!”

– I know that at Thuringer the highest salary is 3000 euros. Why do you think teams in Romania offer very high salaries?

– It is hard for me to say, but the clubs in Romania have broken all the handball market. The money that is put in Romania is exaggerated by many and unfortunately, they have the greatest importance for athletes. No matter the colors of the club, its history, supporters, only the money matters. The players just come for money and that's not good at all. If you are not with your heart where you play and you are just for money, you can not reach the maximum performance. It is true, the performance is done with money, but you have to take care of the players in your country, because otherwise you have no results in national and you can not keep up with Norway, Denmark or France. Romania has to find its way, because it is a handball country and if you give the chance to talented athletes, they will grow. Have to get a chance to play.

“CSM Bucharest has the lot made wrong!”

– CSM Bucharest did not qualify this season at the end of the Champions League. For what reason do you think the SCM does not pass the quarterfinals?

– It is very important the way you build a team and here are some things I do not understand at CSM Bucharest. Sometimes he has 3-4 players on a post and brings another player there. The team has money, has players, but does not work as a team. CSM had to work as a team around Cristina Neagu. This is the most important on a handball team, the gear, the group unit. The CSM lot was made wrong each season. As a coach, you have to take the players you need, you have to build your team for your plan. Only in this way can you ask to win the Champions League.

“I like to build where I am appreciated!”

– You trained in Romania on the Bearing of Brasov, between 2008-2010. Have you been looking for teams from Romania?

– Almost every year I was called from Romaniabut only during the season and I have no age for a handball adventure. My center is the family, we feel good at Erfurt, and Thuringer is my child, I'm here for 15 years. The patrons said that if I leave, they will close the club. If I feel good in a place, I don't leave. That's how I was raised. I like to build where I am appreciated.