 Wohlbold hoping Thüringer can grab their chance
For the fifth straight year the German Bundesliga is represented by two teams in the Group Matches of the Women’s EHF Champions League – and for the third time in a row, Thüringer HC are part of the competition as German champions.
Last season the team of coach Herbert Müller were fully dominant in Germany, snatching away championship and cup from their rivals HC Leipzig, but failed by the closest of margins to qualify for the main round in Europe.
Thüringer, who will play their home matches at Nordhausen, have even bolstered their squad for this season with the signings of German internationals Jana Krause (goalkeeper) and Franziska Mietzner (left back, junior world champion in 2008).
However, the most spectacular transfer of German women’s handball this summer was thanks to Müller’s contacts to Romanian, where he was born, as he signed Spanish back court ace Alexandrina Barbosa, who had played for Oltchim Valcea and was a Women’s EHF Champions League finalist in 2011 with Itxako.
The tall Portuguese born shooter will be an important option – which THC need in their group, where they will face defending champions Györ and defending Cup Winners’ Cup champion and Champions league record winners Hypo NÖ, the team to eliminate THC in the semi-final of the Cup Winners’ Cup last season. Romanian runners-up Baia Mare complete the tough group.
Despite the impressive opposition, Müller hopes to make it to the main round with THC for the first time after he had managed this goal with his former team Nürnburg in 2007/08.
Team manager Maik Schenk is looking forward the next steps on international stage: “Our group is very attractive, but tough as well.
“Our fans can expect thrilling high-class matches in Nordhausen. We try to get as many points as possible and will have to see, what our final ranking will be. Györ are clear favourites in our group, but Hypo and Baia Mare are at a similar level to us,” explains Schenk.
“We are currently in the build-up stage of our team. Hopefully we will find our form and our balance by the start of the Champions League.
“In my opinion, Györ are the main contender for winning the title, Baia Mare have proved their ambitions by beating two Danish teams in the qualification tournament and Hypo are part of the Champions League since the beginning.
“Despite those opponents, we will get our chances and hopefully we are able to grab them,” says team captain Kerstin Wohlbold.
Three questions to coach Herbert Müller:
What are your expectations for the upcoming season of the Women’s EHF Champions League - concerning your objectives and your group opponents?
Herbert Müller: After the draw I was really shocked, as we received the hardest possible opponents from all pots. Györ are the clear favourite for defending their title and there was no harder team to get from pot 3 than Hypo.
We all were sure that Viborg would be the team from qualification, but then Baia Mare deservedly qualified thanks to their home strength and frenetic support from the stands. I believe that Hypo, Baia Mare and THC will fight for the second place. After we had failed on our way last season even with six points on our account, maybe this season four points are already enough.
The direct duels of those teams will be decisive, as none of them have the chance to beat Györ. So we will have an interesting constellation in our group.
What does the participation in the Women’s EHF Champions League mean to you and your club?
Herbert Müller: We are proud to be among the 16 best European teams and to represent the German handball for the third straight time – and we hope to represent it in a very positive way.
To be part of the Champions League means to be part of the biggest competition you can play, as you only face the best teams and players of the world. We are totally looking forward to presenting our fans with the best of the best at Nordhausen.
What teams are your personal favourites to win the Women’s EHF Champions League season – and why?
Herbert Müller: Györ are the runaway favourite, they have already proven their strength and ambitions in the pre-season tournament at home. It will be interesting to see the development of Vardar Skopje, maybe this season is too early for them to go all the way.
Besides them, the usual suspects are contenders like Krim, Larvik and Buducnost – clearly proving that the Balkan region is the hotbed of women’s handball in Europe.
Thüringer HC (GER)
Coach: Herbert Müller, since 2010
Newcomers (including former club): Jana Krause (Buxtehuder SV), Martine Smeets (Dalfsen), Iveta Luzumova (Mios Biganos), Franziska Mietzner (Frankfurter HC), Alexandrina Cabral Barbosa (Valcea)
Left the club (including new club): Shenja Minevskaja (TuS Metzingen), Mie Augustesen (Copenhagen), Katarina Tomasevic (Nantes), Nadja Bolze (Union Halle)
Qualification for the 2013/2014 EHF Women’s Champions League season: German champions
EHF Women’s Champions League records:
Participations (including 2013/2014 season): 3
Group Matches: 2011/12, 2012/13
Other EC records:
Cup Winners’ Cup:
Semi-finalist 2012/13
Challenge Cup:
Finalist: 2008/09
German champion: 2011, 2012, 2013
German Cup winner: 2011, 2013
TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor
|
