Basny and the Czech Republic are hungry for more

Whenever Jas Basny, head coach of the Czech Republic's women's national team, is asked about his team's chances in the upcoming Women's EHF EURO 2014 Qualification, his statements are clear.

"We happen to be in the toughest group. Three out of four teams have qualified for the World Championship 2013. There is no other group like ours," he says.

"Portugal is the toughest opponent from the fourth pot, but with all the respect to them, we have to win this game (23 October, 18:00 hrs. local time), especially playing at home, if we want to stand a chance of fighting for the EURO."

Czech Republic will face Portugal in Most, a city where Czech women's handball recently achieved memorable results, when the national team beat Iceland in the European play-offs for the World Championship 2013 and home club DHK Baník Most won the Challenge Cup this year.

In the second round of the qualification Czech Republic travel to Poland where they face the country's national team in Lublin on 27 October.

"The match against Poland will be extremely difficult. They had a difficult qualifying group for the last EURO, but their performances against Russia and Montenegro have left me overwhelmed.

"They performed really well. Their will to succeed, determination, team spirit were on the right place, so we have to be careful," says Basny.

He joined the national team as a head coach in summer 2010 and together with his staff brought back success to Czech women's handball.

The team first qualified for the EHF EURO 2012 and then year for the World Championship 2013 in Serbia.

"The experience we gained in the last two years from the EURO and from the qualification for the World Championship 2013 will help us a lot.

"We have improved a lot in the last year or two and the time has come to prove it.

"Poland are tough opponents, but we must show we can play competitive games against good teams and that we can win those close matches.

"We feel respect, but at the same time we want to succeed in Poland," says Basny.

Ready for the next step up

Czech Republic prepared for the two matches with two friendlies against world and Olympic champions Norway in September.

Despite two close defeats, Basny and his team are hungry for more in the future.

"We proved ourselves at the last EURO that we can play against the best teams in the world. Now it's time to win these matches, that's why I am not competely satisfied with the results in the friendlies against Norway. This is the next step we have to make.

"Most important for us is to play good handball. If we manage to do so, we have a good chance of winning both games," the head coach concluded.

Klara Cerna will miss the start of the qualification due to a knee injury, but Barbora Ranikova and Iveta Luzumova are ready to play.

The respective 2011 and 2012 Czech Handball Players of the Year missed the preparation matches against Norway, but Basny believes, they will now help to raise the level of the Czech game when it matters most. 

Czech squad for the upcoming EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches in Most against Portugal (23.10 at 18:00 hrs.) and in Lublin against Poland (27.10. at 17:30 hrs.)

Goalkeepers: Lucie Satrapova (DHC Slavie Praha), Barbora Ranikova (Metz HB), Dominika Müllnerova (DHK Baník Most)

Wings: Kristyna Salcakova (DHK Zora Olomouc), Romana Chrenkova (HK Veseli n.Moravou), Michaela Hrbkova (DHC Sokol Poruba), Jana Knedlikova (DHC Slavie Praha)

Back court players: Hana Martinkova (DHK Baník Most), Hana Kutlvasrova (DHC Slavie Praha), Helena Sterbova (Toulon St. Cyr VAR HB ), Iveta Luzumova (Thüringer HC), Petra Ruckova (DHK Baník Most), Katerina Keclikova (DHC Slavie Praha), Anna Gebre Selassie (DHK Zora Olomouc), Martina Crhova (Kristianstad)

Line players: Petra Vitkova (DHK Baník Most), Iveta Matouskova (DHK Baník Most), Dominika Selucka (DHC Slavie Praha)