13.12.2013, 09:23
France, Spain, Denmark name EHF EURO 2014 preparation squads

NEWS REPORT: While the official squad lists have only just been released, these three title favourites are already one step closer to finding their final tournament team

France, Spain, Denmark name EHF EURO 2014 preparation squads

In theory the 16 teams participating at the Men's EHF EURO 2014 have until the last day before the tournament starts for them (11 January for Groups A and B, 12 January for Groups C and D), to name the 16 players that will take to the court in the respective opening games.

However, with the official squad lists, naming 28 players out of which the final 16 have to be selected, just being released, the head coaches from Denmark, Spain and France, arguably all three among the hotter title favourites, have named already smaller groups that will start the preparation for the final tournament.

Denmark coach Ulrik Wilbek has named a team of 18 players that are likely to form his EHF EURO squad.

Probably the biggest surprise among the Danish players selected is that Bjerrinbro-Silkeborg back court player Kasper Nielsen is not among those 18 whereas Klaus Thomsen from Team Tvis Holstebro is.

"I don't think that Kasper Nielsen has reached his top form this autumn, but Klaus Thomsen has. And therefore I have chosen him," Wilbek said to Ritzau, the Danish news agency.

"These are the 18 players I trust at the moment, but a lot can happen. Someone might get injured and we don't know yet whether Rasmus Lauge (who is suffering from a cruciate ligament injury but is among the 18 named, ed.) will recover on time," Wilbek said.

"So that's not the final team."

The next Danish training camp will start right after Christmas and continue after New Year, only interrupted by a short break.

Denmark meet FYR Macedonia in their opening Group A match at the 14,000-capacity Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning on 12 January.

Two newcomers for France

Similar to Wilbek, French head coach Claude Onesta has named 20 players who will come together for a training camp from 27 to 30 December.

With Benjamin Afgour, who had already been invited for the national team week at the end of October but did not play during the Golden League that followed suit at the beginning of November, and Pierre Soudry, who was destined to play the final two EHF EURO 2014 Qualification matches but missed them because of an injury, two newcomers have been summoned.

Furthermore Claude Onesta still hopes for the return of injured French stars, Thierry Omeyer and Jerome Fernandez.

Both will be invited to join the team at the preparation camp at the end of December. On the other side, Xavier Barachet and Bertrand Gille, both of them also injured at the moment, are likely to miss the EHF EURO 2014.

"We will focus on physical exercised mixed with elements of care and recovery," Onesta said with regards to the training camp, "However, we will also work on tactics for this rejunevated French team."

Spain and Norway name 18 players each

With Alex Dujshebaev and Iosu Goni there are also two newcomers in the Spanish squad, comprising 18 players, that has been named by head coach Manuel Cadenas.

While 20-year-old (he turns 21 on 17 December) Alex Dujshebaev looks set to follow into the footsteps of his famous father, Talant Dujshebaev, Goni's nomination can be seen as a reward for the strong season he has been playing with Aix en Provence in France.

To little surprise, FC Barcelona is the most represented club in Cadenas' selection counting for five of the 18 players: Victor Tomas, Raul Entrerrios, Daniel Sarmiento, Arpad Sterbik and Viran Morros play for the EHF Champions League record champions.

Spain will hold their next training camp from 26 to 30 December in Santander.

Norway's head coach Robert Hedin said that "it was not an easy job to nominate this squad", after he had named the 18 players he will take to the Golden League in France at the beginning January, the final preparation tournament before the EHF EURO throws off for the Scandinavian country.

Norway will face France, Denmark and Qatar at the 4-nation event. Afterwards Hedin will nominate the 16 players he intends to take to Denmark.

TEXT: EHF / ts