GOG coach: More than okay

First you make a 28-28 away draw against Portland San Antonio and then you lose 32-26 in Austria against Bregenz. This is quite a surprising trend. However, this is what exactly happened with GOG Svendborg TGI in Group D with a 36-26 home win over Slovakian champions, Tatran Petrov, in between.

On half way of the group stage, GOG coach Ulf Schefvert is still very satisfied with his team’s performance in the tournament. Eurohandball.com talks to the temperamental Swedish coach.

Eurohandball.com: What do you think of your team up to this point?

Ulf Schefvert: I think that it was more than okay so far. We gained an unexpected point in Spain against Portland San Antonio, but suffered a surprising away defeat in Bregenz. We didn’t play well there, in the second half in particular. All in all I think we can be satisfied.

Eurohandball.com: Usually Danish teams do not fear Austrian sides. What went wrong in Bregenz?

Ulf Schefvert: First of all, you have to bear in mind that the Bregenz have other than Austrian players. They have several Slovenians and Croatians too. Furthermore, our match was the last chance of Bregenz to achieve anything in the Champions League this year. This made their will stronger than ours.

Eurohandball.com: In spite of the defeat in Austria, I suppose you still expect to reach qualification for the main round.

Ulf Schefvert: Absolutely, as it is still in our own hands. We have two home matches and only one away match to go. I expect Portland to win their remaining matches against Presov and Bregenz, and I hope that we can cause some difficulties for Portland in our home match on 14 November too.

Eurohandball.com: Your team suffered a bit from lack of consistency this season – in the CL as well as in the national league. Do you have too few players who can play in the CL and in the Danish league at the same time?

Ulf Schefvert: You have to remember that we have many new players who had to be integrated in the team. Furthermore, we have we been hit by the injury of several players. I don’t think we have been so much inconsistent. We only lost two matches in the Danish league against Aarhus and Bjerringbro/Silkeborg. These are strong teams any team could lose against them. Actually, I’m proud of what the lads so far.

Eurohandball.com: As you said, you have injury problems this season. Mikkel Hansen is still injured, just as Magnus Jernemyr. It must be a great problem…

Ulf Schefvert: It is, but things are also looking less gloomy than before. Mikkel will probably be able to start trainings again tomorrow and the problem with Jernemyr is really not so big. I also expect him to be fit soon. If we do not run into more injuries, we will soon play at full strength for the first time this season. That will be a completely new feeling!