Soirhando starting new adventures after contract extension

The French team hacome together for the first time since they secured their Olympic gold medals, as they prepare for qualification for Euro 2014. In the interview with ehfCL.com, Cédric Sorhaindo looks back on London 2012, the World Championship in Spain and a new contract at Barcelona.

ehfCL.com: It's the first time the French team have been back together since the Olympics. Were you looking forward to it?
Cédric Sorhaindo: Definitely! After the Olympics we all went our separate ways without really having the time to celebrate. Everybody had to get back to their own teams quickly. So we got back into this kind of routine and haven’t  had much time to talk to each other and live this all again. So yeah, it feels great to meet my friends again.

ehfCL.com: And there are some new faces in the team as well, like Mathieu Grébille, who fitted in pretty well during his debut.
Cédric Sorhaindo: I'm more than happy: one more guy from Martinique in the squad! His integration was really fast. It all came together very naturally. He's a guy with a high handball IQ, is very serious in his work and always wants to learn new things. He's always listening - on and off of the court - and he's got VELUX EHF Champions League experience with Montpellier. He fitted very well in the tactics.

ehfCL.com: Does he fit well into this new dynamic?
Cédric Sorhaindo: Injuries and missing players have forced us to create a new dynamic. And what makes us strong is that this dynamic doesn't change. We're hungry for victory, we want to carry on writing history - all together.

ehfCL.com: And it all begins with the World Championship in Spain...
Cédric Sorhaindo: Definitely! We have talked about it a bit, but for now we aren’t asking ourselves many questions. This international week was the occasion for us to start the engine again and to spend some time together. But at the beginning of January it will be totally different - we will be pushing ourselves much harder.

ehfCL.com: Since you're living in Spain, can you tell us what the preparation for the World Championship is like?
Cédric Sorhaindo: They're really looking forward to it. I can feel it even more since I live in Catalunya, where a lot of the matches will take place. When the competition starts they will have been thinking about it for six months! And I can understand that: the Spanish were disappointed by their performance at the Olympics and playing such an event at home really is something special. A lot of work has been put in to make it a great World Championship.

ehfCL.com: Do you feel a bit like at home in Barcelona?
Cédric Sorhaindo: Oh yeah, I feel really comfortable in Barcelona. They’re a historic club who are run very professionally.

ehfCL.com: So you had no hesitation in extending your contract to June 2015?
Cédric Sorhaindo: No. If I ever come back to France it would be for personal reasons, not for handball - everything is so great in Barcelona. I've got a real understanding with the players and the staff. I've got responsibilities on the pitch, I'm trusted. I recognise the part I play in the club, especially on the court as it’s very close to what I'm used to in the French team. Today, with both, I'm starting a new adventure.

ehfCL.com: This year in Barcelona, you've been joined by Arpad Sterbik. The arrival of such a player can only confirm the high ambitions of the club.
Cédric Sorhaindo: When such a player joins your team you see things differently, in a more serene way, especially when you play in different competitions. It shows that the club wants to play a great role, both in the Asobal League and the VELUX EHF Champions League.

ehfCL.com: But Barcelona can expect a greater stability that some of the teams in the Asobal, with many suffering  hard times lately?
Cédric Sorhaindo: At no time have we ever told ourselves that we wouldn’t take 100 per cent into a match. (Barcelona, like Madrid, haven't lost a match in eight games in the Asobal). Everybody is really focused on the objectives. Yes we've had some great additions to the squad, but we're really careful with all our opponents. Some teams in the leagues have had financial problems and have had to let some of their best players go. It's our role to be even more focused and serious about what we do.