Isabelle Strunc, captain of Toulouse Métropole Basket: “We are where we wanted to be”
The TMB captain, who celebrated her 31st birthday, is looking for a third title of French Women’s Ligue 2 champion after those obtained in Perpignan (2012) and Nice (2015).
Isabelle, last September, announced to you: “The objective is the rise in LFB. It’s clear and clear!” Did it go well?
Yes, the club had announced the rise as a goal. Compared to some years we did not want to hide it. Today we are where we wanted to be. After all, there is still work to do. It’s great what we did but today, we are only halfway up the climb. The hardest part will come in three weeks now with the play-offs where the matches will really count.
Xavier Noguera told us recently that the play-off matches were approached differently. It’s not the same preparation?
It’s completely different. These are cut matches. Finally half since it is in two winning matches. But every game, every detail, is even more important. We don’t approach them the same way. In our competitors’ heads there is something that unlocks when it’s the play-offs. Tour starts from zero or almost.
Is the TMB team stronger than in previous years? More balanced perhaps?
Stronger I don’t know. It’s hard to say. We’ve been waiting a long time for a stranger at station 5. We’ve got her. So yes we are balanced on all playing positions.
You have just celebrated your 31st birthday. If the TMB reaches it, is it an objective for you to play in the Women’s League?
We’ll see. The goal I don’t know. There are many things that come into play. There is the basket and also the extra basket. For the moment I am focused on the objective of the club which is to go up. We’ll see later.
Have you ever thought about converting?
Yes, I’m thinking about it. This year I did a training at TBS precisely to see the future a little more calmly than if I had done nothing. It’s also good to think of something other than the basket, to clear your mind, to make your brain work differently.
A word about the Federal Center. Game trap?
Completely. Every year, we know it, we say it and they manage to win a few matches. We will have to be concentrated from start to finish, as on the way out. We must not let them hope. It’s up to us to make it easy.