Slagelse expect improvement 

Many Danish handball fans have been a bit disappointed with Slagelse DT´s performance in the current Champions League so far. The number one of the Danish league have qualified for the quarterfinals, as everyone probably expected them, but only on second group position and only with six points from six matches. Eurohandball.com talked to the team’s assistant coach, Peter Bruun Jørgensen.

Eurohandball.com: What is your opinion of the team’s performance in the Champions League?

Peter Bruun Jørgensen: Our goal was to win the group and we have not managed to reach that goal. That is not okay, of course, but there is no doubt that we will improve until the quarterfinals against Krim, which we are really looking forward to.

Eurohandball.com: What elements of the game do you have to improve in order to be more successful in the tournament?

Peter Bruun Jørgensen: First of all, we will have to make our defence and attack work at its best at the same time. In too many games there has been a tendency that only one of the two was working – but we are really concentrating on that.

Eurohandball.com: Why has your defence and attack not been working at the same time?

Peter Bruun Jørgensen: If I had the answer to the question, we would probably have solved the problem earlier. You have to remember, though, that in the home match against FTC Budapest (Slagelse lost 27-28, ed) we were without Bojana Popovic , and that meant a lot. However, we do have succeeded in making the defence and attack function in the same match at least once in the Champions League. In our away match against FTC Budapest, which we won 34-26, I think we played our best match so far this season. We played well in defence and attack as well.

Eurohandball.com: You have been practicing a lot of new combinations in your attacking play lately. How successful do you think those have been?

Peter Bruun Jørgensen: I think we are on the right track – and it is all going to be much better for the quarterfinals, which we are preparing for at full speed right now.

Eurohandball.com: You have been absolutely dominating in the Danish league so far this season, while you had bigger problems in the Champions League. Is that a proof that the Danish league may not be so strong compared to the European top, as many Danes like to think?

Peter Bruun Jørgensen: I’m not sure it is so simple. After all, we have three Danish teams in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and I think all three have really good chance of winning the tournament. The competition is tough this year, however, and in fact I think that all eight teams in the quarterfinals can win at the end. Actually, this might be the most equal Women’s Champions League for many years.