21.11.2007, 12:27
Veszprém still hoping

István Csoknyai talks to Eurohandball.com about the Celje defeat. The assistant coach still hopes that Gummersbach might help with a victory in Slovenia.

Veszprém still hoping

MKB Veszprém have only theoretical chances to qualify for the Main Round before the last game against Icelandic Valur. István Csoknyai assistant coach still hopes that Veszprém can reach the next group phase.

Eurohandball.com: Veszprém could not take a victory in Celje, though you had some chance to make it…

István Csoknyai: Unfortunately we could not reach a sensational result and clinch qualification. We could be relaxed now with a victory. We were in the game for 45-50 minutes, we had a chacne to take a point, but we had so much pressure on in the last minutes that we could not endure. We made many mistakes, missed many chances in numerical advantage and we even received goals.

Eurohandball.com: How much chance do you think you still have?

Csoknyai: We will play our last group match in Iceland against Valur and we have to win at all costs. Apart from that, we have to put all our confidence in Gummersbach as only they can do something for us. We hope that they will help us and win in Celje. Obviously, it would have been better to reach qualification on our own, but it can also happen in sports that you qualify thanks to the success of another team.

Eurohandball.com: Why do you think Veszprém lose most of the matches in the endgame?

Csoknyai: Many say we have stamina problems and we get tired by the end of the game. It must be true up to a certain extent, but I rather believe that it is due to the lack of experience of our young players. They are not yet used to hot atmosphere and make bad decisions in key moments. If this team stays together, I’m sure that we will win the matches that now we lost in the endgame.

TEXT: Ildikó Balogh (handball.hu)