«jul 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930311234
567891011
«aug 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
2930311234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930311
2345678
«sep 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
2627282930311
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30123456
«oct 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
30123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031123
45678910
«nov 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678
«dec 2024»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
2526272829301
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
303112345
«jan 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
303112345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
3456789
«feb 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
272829303112
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272812
3456789
«mar 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
242526272812
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31123456
«apr 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
31123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
2829301234
567891011
«may 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
2829301234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930311
2345678
«jun 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
2627282930311
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30123456
«jul 2025»
MOTUWETHFRSASU
30123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031123
45678910
AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia HerzegovinaBelarusBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkSpainEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGreat BritainGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandIcelandIsraelItalyKosovoLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMoldovaNorth MacedoniaMaltaMontenegroMonacoNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSloveniaSerbiaSwitzerlandSlovakiaSwedenTürkiyeUkraine
 
EnglandScotland
Other EHF Sites 

11.11.2014, 12:40
Dunkerque riding on a wave of confidence
«Go back »Print Version


NEWS REPORT: After a less than impressive opening to the season, the French champions are hitting their stride just in time for a crucial period of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase

»EHF CL Channel »2014-15 Men's News
»
»
»
 

Dunkerque riding on a wave of confidence

After two defeats in their first three French league games, many thought Dunkerque could not handle the pressure of being remaining champions.

In fact, even their coach Patrick Cazal admitted: “We're not playing as if we’re domestic champions,” he said after the second loss, in Toulouse. "Some of my men really need to question themselves, because it seems we've lost our values and our strengths during the summer.”

However, after wins over both Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier last week, it seems that the wheel is turning the right way again.

“Those two games showed how much my boys have been able to stand up during the storm, get back to training and put themselves in contention,” Cazal noted after win against Montpellier.

“These are performances that can't be underestimated, but that need to be confirmed. Playing against big teams, PSG, Montpellier or Kielce in the Champions League, is easy because we're not favourites and we have less pressure on our shoulders.

“The only way to prove to everybody, even ourselves, that the way to continue our healing is to carry on winning.”

On the right track

And there are important games coming up in the next few weeks. The VELUX EHF Champions League is back and with two clashes against Hungarian side Pick Szeged in less than eight days, this might be one of the key phases of the season.

“We know we've still got our fate in our hands,” said Vincent Gérard, “but we can't lose any more time.”

“There are five games that we think we can win in the last six remaining, because bringing a result back from Kielce would take a miracle. But those two matches against Szeged are the first ones we need to really focus on.”

After the loss at home against Kielce (25:28), the frustrated French goalkeeper pointed out that “the team is meant to have more experience, but we don't act that way.”

When you talk to him about it now, he is a little bit more balanced. "In one way, yes, I was upset, but in another, this game showed we were on the right track to recovery.

“We were having good results in the French league, but this defeat, while we could have won the game, kept us on our toes.”

And Dunkerque's players are still on their toes, even a month after the defeat against the Polish club.

Defence becoming a strong point

According to Patrick Cazal, “the team has found its cruising speed. Training is much more consistent now and you can sense the confidence is back.”

“To be honest, we want to surf on this wave of confidence we're on at the moment. It sometimes feels like we're back to last year, when we had tough matches but we always manage to turn things our way at some point.”

Bastien Lamon, the captain, agrees but still struggled to suggest a turning point. "I think that the return of Michael Grocault, our defensive leader helped a lot. We conceded too many goals in the first games of the season while now, it's become our strong point again,” claimed Lamon.

"All good Champions League teams have good defences and if we want to qualify for the knockout stage this season, we'll have to count on that. We're taking Pick Szeged very seriously; winning the EHF Cup by beating both Montpellier and Füchse Berlin in the finals shows their abilities.

“But with a working defence and the confidence we've got at the moment, anything is possible,” concluded Dunkerque’s captain.


TEXT: Kevin Domas / cor
 
Share
CONTACT FORM