EHF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE INTRODUCES: Daniela Piedade (Hypo Nö) – PART 3/4

After two stars of the Men’s EHF Champions League, our interview series goes on with a lady at last. In the upcoming weeks we will introduce you a Brazilian handballer from Vienna, Daniela De Oliveira Piedade. The line player of Hypo Niederösterreich arrived in Europe five years ago and she has become team captain and key figure of the Austrian club that won Champions League (and Champions’ Cup) eight times.

Daniela Piedade is in good mood this week, as usual. We talk to her after the third successful game of Hypo in the CL. The Austrians showed once again that they are serious candidates for the title by defeating a great rival, Kometal in Skopje. Daniela tells us more about this team with a new coach, Hungarian András Németh.

Daniela Piedade: The team was reinforced during the summer. We train harder than before, follow a different concept and also the atmosphere has never been so good before. The players have a good understanding in the team and if it all goes on like this, it can have good results.

Eurohandball.com: What do you think about the new players of Hypo?

Daniela Piedade: Katrin Engel came back from Germany after two years. She knows the team and it is an advantage for her. The other new players, the two Hungarians, Erika Kirsner and Tímea Tóth, are also very good players. They fit in well on the court and also in our everyday life.

Eurohandball.com: As you said, you have different trainings than before. What can you tell us about the new coach, András Németh?

Daniela Piedade: We had Hungarian coach before, but Németh is a very experienced and successful one. He is an old hand… The trainings are never boring; in addition, he is a nice person. He is even funny outside the sports hall.

Eurohandball.com: Do you have language barriers? How can you communicate with him?

Daniela Piedade: In Hypo it is a rule that all communication must go in German. Everyone have their own teacher and Németh is also doing well. If there are problems, the assistant coach Feri Kovács is also there to help.

Eurohandball.com: You are still unbeaten after three matches. I guess the objectives are still the same…

Daniela Piedade: The objective of Gunnar Prokop is always the CL title. I believe we have a good chance to reach at least the semi-final again. However, there is a new playing system in the CL. We will play another group phase and we will meet two good teams at least. We will see.

Eurohandball.com: The victory against Kometal must have been especially important for you.

Daniela Piedade: Journalists told me that we have won after seven years, I didn’t even know it. We could have played better, I know this. Gunnar was very satisfied, anyway; Németh was somewhat less happy.

It doesn’t mean that it will be easy from now on to win all the matches, The next match away against Larvik will also be difficult, but we will try to win it. It would be important to maintain this atmosphere that we have.

It is of vital importance to have a good atmosphere inside the team, otherwise it is impossible to succeed.

In the last part of our interview series with Daniela, we will ask her about the Larvik game, but also about more general handball matters.

Previously:

EHF Champions League introduces: Daniela Piedade (Hypo Nö) – part 1/4
EHF Champions League introduces: Daniela Piedade (Hypo Nö) – part 2/4

The Vlado Sola (CO Zagreb) interview series
The László Nagy (FC Barcelona) interview series