Handball. Jordan Allais: “Going up if we finish third is of no interest”

The Caen Handball has started his series of friendlies and will continue it on Wednesday August 26, 2020 against Angers. The Vikings, designated favorites of Nationale 1, have been preparing for six weeks. The rise in Proligue, their objective, may not leave the shadow of a doubt. Only two clubs, for the moment, benefit from the VAP status allowing access to the upper floor. However, the N1 Elite issues two tickets for the Proligue. If things remain as they are, Caen is sure to climb whatever its final ranking. Interview with his pivot Jordan Allais.

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Sport in Caen: Jordan, you lost your first friendly match. It does not count but it certainly does not please …

Jordan Allais: We have bitter defeat. It’s been five months since we’ve played and I don’t think we expected such intense intensity against a team that knows each other very well. They stormed us from the first few minutes. We deplored four goals behind. We managed to come back at half-time. Afterwards, like all high-level matches, it’s all about details. We miss the last bullets. We will have to erase that and start again. We will have to quickly get our heads right.

What were the feelings on this resumption match?

It’s a bit skewed with the defeat, but it’s good to see people in the stands again, to play with the teammates and to sweat a lot and to be able to fry a little. It does, a lot, a lot of good even if the defeat leaves a bitter taste. There was a total loss of bearings, it was really strange.

Your preparation has resumed for six weeks, how is it going?

It’s going really well, we have a great group. The old ones who have just arrived – because the average age is increasing – are top. Everyone gives their all, everyone is well integrated. For the moment, all the lights are on the green apart from this defeat of two goals which is played on details but which does not please. Right after the match, we had a hot discussion together, something that didn’t necessarily exist before. That’s good, we take the problems head-on, we assume them and we solve them as the preparation progresses.

Read also: Handball. The Vikings of Caen HB prepare to be the team to beat

You admitted last season that you saw yourself looking too good. Is it still the risk this season?

We know we have a great team but we also know where we come from. We also remind those who have arrived of the years that we have known these last two, three seasons. Even if we played above, we know that we still have a lot, a lot of work to find the level that we had. The N1 is very complicated, with a lot of teams that have known each other for a long time, unlike the Proligue where there are a lot of changes. It’s a different approach, a much more collective game. It is sometimes more difficult to approach a very strong team collectively than very strong individually.

There would only be two VAP teams, so likely to go up, this season. Is it still special to start a championship under these circumstances?

Yes, I confirm it, it is very particular. But we have big goals. We want to win this National 1. Going up if we finish third or fourth, that has no interest.

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