Omeyer: Breaking new ground

It is a completely new situation for Thierry Omeyer. For the first time in his long career the French goalkeeper - double Olympic and European champion, triple world champion – will have a match in the VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification.

On Thursday the 36-year old Omeyer will face Orlen Wisła Płock with his new and old club MAHB Montpellier on home ground, on Sunday the decision, which team will proceed to the Group Phase will be taken in Poland.

After seven years at THW Kiel, where he added three Champions League trophies to the one he had won with Montpellier in 2003, he returned to France - and saw a lot of familiar faces.

In this interview with ehfCL.com Thierry Omeyer talks about the chances to proceed, which would mean two matches with his former club Kiel, and about his home coming.

ehfCL.com: How did you settle in your old, new home town Montpellier?

Thierry Omeyer: It was easy, as I live again in the same house, where I had lived until 2006. I had rented it since then and now I am back.

It is a little construction site still, and I found out that we have much more furniture since when I left to Kiel.

ehfCL.com: Had it also been so easy to familiarize with your team?

Thierry Omeyer: The whole coaching staff around Patrice Canayer and even the physiotherapists are still the same. The arena is new, the president is new – and the team is quite new.

I only played together with Michael Guigou, and William Accambray trained with us, when he was really young. I really appreciate to be – like at Kiel – in the same team with Vid Kavticnik. So I was quickly admitted into the team, no problem.

ehfCL.com: Since 2000 all the clubs you had been playing for, directly qualified for the Group Phase of the Champions League, now you are breaking new ground at the age of 36…

Thierry Omeyer: Yes, this is an unusual situation to have decisive matches at such an early point of the season. But we to go through, therefore we had started our preparation earlier, as we have to integrate five new players.

ehfCL.com: But as Madrid withdrew, the chances of Montpellier to proceed to the Group Phase have increased by 100%, as you only face one opponent instead of three in the formerly planned wildcard tournament. A clear advantage?

Thierry Omeyer: Indeed! You can lose a match in this mode and you still can proceed. In case you have a black day during a wildcard tournament everything is over immediately. But we have the disadvantage that we have the crucial re-match at Plock, so we have to show a great result on Thursday.

ehfCL.com: How do you rate the chances against the Polish runners-up?

Thierry Omeyer: Plock had enormously strengthened their squad by players like Marcin Lijewski or Mariusz Jurkewicz, additionally they have a new highly motivated coach – they are a tough opponent. But we definitely have one goal: reaching the Group Stage. So we prepared intensively- and everybody who knows me, knows that the worst thing in my life are defeats.

ehfCL.com: Is it an additional motivation that – in case Montpellier proceed to the Group Phase – you would have two matches against your former club THW Kiel?

Thierry Omeyer: It would be brilliant to play at and against Kiel. Of course no away team have any fun, when they play at Kiel, but I would have the great opportunity to meet some long-term friends there. But to be honest: I don’t have any thought about Kiel at the moment, but only focus on Wisla Plock.

ehfCL.com: Did you already think about failing in qualification?

Thierry Omeyer: I never have thoughts like this.