Denmark aims for medals

The Danes finished the EHF EURO 2010 in fifth place, but now they are aiming much higher. Coach Ulrik Wilbek and his team wish for a medal at the upcoming continental event in Serbia. Coach Wilbek talked to ehf-euro.com in an exclusive interview about his side´s recent progress in preparation for the January tournament.

ehf-euro-com: You´ve recently played a tournament in Germany. What are your reflections on the Four Nations Tournament, especially with regard to your current squad, which contains several youngsters?

Ulrik Wilbek: We missed some players in Germany, but I still think we had a good squad. In the Super Cup most of the teams experimented with players and systems.

ehf-euro-com: Several of your key players are missing due to injury. Who do you think could become the main pillars of the Danish team at the EHF EURO 2012?

Ulrik Wilbek: At this moment it seems that all players will be ready and fit for the European Championship. But that can easily change, as there are still two months until the start. Our big stars are youngsters like goalkeeper Niklas Landin, Mikkel Hansen, and perhaps also the 2.11 metre-tall, Nikolaj Markussen from Atletico Madrid. Then, of course, there are our wing players, Hans Lindberg and Lars Christiansen.

ehf-euro-com: If you take a look at the other nations, who do you see as the main favourites for the title, and which players could become the rising stars of the continental event, in your opinion?

Ulrik Wilbek: I see the four semi-finalists from Sweden as the main favourites, together with Croatia, and the host nation, Serbia. As rising stars, I will mention Aron Pálmarsson, Domagoj Duvnjak, Uwe Gensheimer, Kim Ekdahl, and some of the already-mentioned Danes.

ehf-euro-com: You´re grouped with Serbia, the hosts, Poland, another strong team, and with Slovakia, the nation that recently caused a surprise with a victory over France. What are your expectations from this group, and how do you view Denmark´s opponents?

Ulrik Wilbek: Our opponents in the group are all strong. But that’s how it is at such a continental event. It`s impossible to predict anything, but our goal is always to play for medals.

ehf-euro-com: What’s next for Denmark before the team travels to Serbia for the preliminary round of the tournament?

Ulrik Wilbek: We meet on 1st January 2012 and then we play a Four Nations tournament in Denmark, along with Iceland, Poland and Slovenia.

Further information

Download the Official EHF EURO 2012 Playing Schedule (pdf)

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Find more information on the tournament on the official website www.ehf-euro.com/SRB2012/

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