Despite the dramatic start, Emmanuel Mayonnade is still confident that the Dutch handball players can get far at the European Championship in Denmark. The national coach does not think that due to the absence of Estavana Polman his selection misses a leader who can take the team in tow.
The 28-year-old Polman is normally one of the star players at Orange. The Arnhem native, who was named the most important player at the World Cup won by the Netherlands in Japan last year, misses this European Championship due to a serious knee injury. Instead, she analyzes the matches of the Netherlands at Ziggo Sport.
“We are not concerned with Estavana,” Mayonnade said Monday at a digital press moment from Denmark. “There are more players who can act as leader. Danick Snelder, Lois Abbingh, Tess Wester, Debbie Bont and Jessy Kramer already did that at the World Cup last year. That is no different without Estavana.”
Still, without Polman, the Netherlands does not look like the team that wrote history last year by becoming world champion for the first time. The Dutch already surprisingly lost to Serbia on Saturday (25-29) and on Sunday, Croatia (25-27) also proved too strong for the world champion, making an early elimination very close.
“The disappointment in the group is of course great, because we did not expect this”, Mayonnade emphasized. “We really went into the tournament with a good feeling, but in the first two games something went wrong on every level. Whether tactical, mental or technical: it could all be better. There is not one cause.”
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With Estavana Polman, the Netherlands misses an important player at the European Championship. (Photo: Pro Shots)
‘We are determined to beat Hungary’
A victory over Hungary is necessary on Tuesday (8.30 pm) for the Dutch to reach the main round. Since the points from the first group stage are taken to that second group stage, it is still the question whether the Netherlands has a good chance of getting far at all in this European Championship.
“I can’t say I’m happy with the situation, but it is what it is. We are focused and determined to take our last chance and win the match against Hungary. We will have to do it a little differently, but I am. not planning to change my selection for the time being, “said Mayonnade.
Snelder, who played in Hungary for years, knows many players from the Hungarian team and knows that the Orange squad has a tough assignment. “Hungary is very strong and will start the game with a better feeling than us. They may sleep a little better and have a little more confidence,” the captain said.
“On the other hand, you can see that the differences at the European Championship are very small. We should not linger in the disappointment of the last two games and focus well. There is in any case no doubt in our minds that we can make Hungary. defeat.”
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