22.08.2007, 06:00
Unusual Preparation of Slagelse

The CL winners have a unique way to prepare for the upcoming season: no test matches. Slagelse found an unusal method to keep players fit for a long season.

Unusual Preparation of Slagelse

In contrast to the overwhelming majority of European handball teams, Women’s Champions League winner Slagelse DT do not play a single warm-up or test match before the challenges in the Champions League or Danish championship.

It has always been head coach, Anja Andersen´s philosophy to have fewer training sessions and fewer training matches than other teams and not to exhaust the players in vain. Although the Slagelse players started pre-season trainings on 23 July, they are going to play only one match before the start of the Danish league season – not a friendly.

Cup match as training

As a matter of fact, the only match before the start for the Champions League winners and Danish champions will be a Last 16 fixture in the Danish Cup on 9 September. The opponent will be KIF Vejen – also Slagelse’s first opponent in the championship by the way...

The match will take place in Roskilde Hallen, some 50 kms from Slagelse. The club decided to play some home matches here. To reward the many loyal fans who supported the team last season, the entrance will be free for the match. Slagelse will have to show whether they would be able to compensate for the loss of stars such as Bojana Popovic or Carmen Lungu. The new players, former Hypo Niederösterreich star Gabriela Rotis-Nagy, for example, will also have a chance to show how they fit in the team.

TEXT: Peter Bruun