The Romania women’s national team has seen a change in head coach, with Tomas Ryde coming in to replace Ambros Martin. Ryde was the coach at the helm when Romania won their most recent medal – bronze at the 2015 IHF Women’s World Championship in Denmark.
 
“Together with the team I lead, we opted for a coach who knows Romania, who brought the last medal for Romania in women's handball. I am very happy to announce that the new coach of the national handball team of Romania will be, again, Tomas Ryde, for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and all the way through,” said Romanian Handball Federation President Alexandru Dedu.
 
Following a disappointing result at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Ryde was replaced with four-time Champions League winning coach Ambros Martin, in what was the Spaniard’s first venture with a national squad. Martin led Romania in moderately successful EHF EURO 2016 and 2017 World Championship campaigns, before taking the team back to the top of the European continent and reaching the semi-finals at the most recent EURO, in December 2018.
 
It was Romania’s best result at the EURO since 2010, when the team won its so far only medal at the continental championship – bronze. Now, Martin will turn his full focus to his club side, Rostov-Don, who finished as runners-up in the Women’s EHF Champions League this season.
 
With Ryde back on the bench, Romania now look ahead to two events in Japan: the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championship in December, for which the team are already qualified thanks to their fourth-place finish at the EURO, and beyond that, the 2020 Olympic Games.
 
“I am honoured to be offered the opportunity to become the coach of one of the best national teams in the world. I did not hesitate for a second because I really like working here; I like the team and the staff. It’s a challenge I want,” said Ryde. 
 
“Looking from abroad to Romania, I have noticed the progress made in the last years, both of the players and of what is happening outside the sports halls. I am pleasantly impressed. I am happy to be back in Romania. I know what needs to be done and I thank you for your trust.”
 
Ryde’s first matches with Romania will be at the end of this month, in the Carpathian Trophy from May 31 to June 2, which will feature both A and B national sides for Romania as well as Japan and Angola.
 
More information on the Romania women’s team can be found on the official website of the Romanian Handball Federation.