European temptation persuades Herrem to stay
A new coach and the chance to play the Women´s EHF Champions League has given Camilla Herrem enough reason stay in Byåsen.
Byåsen Trondheim's new Danish coach Claus Leth Mogensen made such a good impression on the Norwegian international that she decided to extend her contract with the Norwegian runners-up for another year instead of signing for Danish club Randers HK, with whom she had spoken extensively with before making her final decision.
The decision was also influenced by the fact that with Byåsen, she gets the chance to qualify for the Women’s EHF Champions League Group Matches, while Randers will not be playing in Europe this season.
As previously reported by ehfCL.com, Claus Leth Mogensen, who has a previous career in several Danish league clubs, is taking over as head coach at the club this coming season and his ideas appealed to Herrem.
“Claus wants to play a kind of handball with speed and that is what I like too. It is no secret that I had been talking a lot with Randers coach Jan Leslie, but after having heard Claus' ideas, I decided to stay in Byåsen for at least another year.
“It definitely also played a part in my decision that we have the chance to play in the Champions League and I want that very much, as that is obviously the strongest competition of all and where I can best develop.
“Jan Leslie told me that Randers are very keen on returning to the Champions League next year, so we agreed to keep up the dialogue, but for now I am a Byåsen player,” the 26-year-old left winger told ehfCL.com.
A bit awkward to meet Tertnes
In the qualification tournament for the Women’s EHF Champions League, Byåsen will meet their Norwegian league rivals Tertnes Bergen in the semi-final in Group 2.
“It is a bit awkward to meet Tertnes, whom we know so very well and who knows us just as well. However, we will simply have to defeat Tertnes,” said Herrem, who will hope to be meeting the winner of the clash between Leipzig HC and Belarusian champions Minsk in the deciding battle to join fellow Norwegian team Larvik in the competition proper.
“If we face Leipzig, we will meet a team that defeated us last year. Obviously we are underdogs once again, but if we manage to play as fast as Claus wants us to, I definitely think we have a chance. It would be really cool to have two Norwegian teams in the Champions League again,” concluded Herrem.
TEXT: Peter Bruun / cor
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