Danijel Andjelkovic (Fenix Toulouse): “Maintain our quality of play”
Sixth at the break, undefeated for eight days (five wins and three draws), Fenix Toulouse ended the year well. Coach Danijel Andjelkovic makes a first assessment.
Danijel, the Fenix Toulouse sixth at the break, is that what you hope for?
Yes, that suits me for two reasons. The first is that it was a goal at the start of the season. The second is that with the injuries that handicapped us and the accumulation of matches between the European Championship and the European Cup, we managed to put a game in place, the one we wanted to play. We learned to play with a right-hander on the right in three months, without a single left-hander available at the back post (Abdi was absent for ten weeks and Marmier will only resume in January, Editor’s note). I admit that when we lost our left-handers, we doubted but the team was able to overcome the problem.
You are sixth at the break but between the third and the eighth place, everyone is held to 5 points. it promises to be tight until the end.
it will be. Sixth today, that doesn’t mean anything. The season will be played on concentration, on fatigue management, on a lost ball if necessary. It will be complicated. We absolutely have to maintain our quality of play, keep everyone in the game, that everyone feels concerned, that the rotations bring something chosen.
You have no regrets about the first leg and in particular these points left at home against Limoges (27-27) and Nancy (22-24) in particular?
When I think about it, it spins a bit. But with regard to the points that we were able to recover on the right, on the left, it is balanced. But the most important is what will happen in the coming months. What happened has happened, nothing can be changed. It’s digested, I don’t talk about it anymore. The next game is the most important.
What are the sectors that gave you satisfaction?
It is certainly our defensive sector with our defense in 1-5 that I do not use too much but on which we are very efficient at specific times. I am really satisfied with this 1-5, but this system requires a huge energy expenditure and with two matches per week, it is hardly possible. On the other hand, on the last day before the break, in Aix, we played 45 minutes with a 1-5 because we knew there was no match behind (victory 31-29, Editor’s note). Afterwards, I also appreciate the state of mind that reigns within the group. The players live well together, with a common goal.
There is also a significant statistic, your third place in the shooting success (63%) behind Paris and Nantes. it shows great collective cohesion.
Indeed, the shots that we take are well done, it is the fruit of a lot of collective work. With us, the guy who crosses the field does not exist, we do not have a player who can win a match on his own. So we rely on our collective. Why are we so good at shooting? Because our shooting decisions are problems of worked situations. You will notice that we shoot little outside the 9 meters.
European League: qualification in sight
Engaged in the European League within Group A, the Toulouse residents are currently ranked 3rd in their group with 6 points (3 wins and 3 losses). In this group selected by Füchse Berlin and Wisla Plock, the Toulouse residents still have to cross swords with Berlin (February 15), compete twice with the Swiss from Winterthur (February 22 and March 1), before completing the home group stage against Irun (March 8). The meeting against the Basques could be decisive for the attribution of 3rd place, knowing that it is the first four who qualify for the knockout stages.