Ahead of both the 2017 IHF Women’s World Championship semi-finals, all four team head coaches faced the world’s media at the Barclaycard Arena, Hamburg. 

IHF.info was there and brings you all what was said in advance of the two big clashes on Friday 15 December between Netherlands and Norway (17:30) and Sweden and France (20:45).

Here, Norway coach Thorir Hergeirsson gives his views on the game against Netherlands.

Media question: Are you the favourites against Netherlands Thorir?

Thorir Hergeirsson: Firstly, I want to thank Helle for her nice words about the Norwegian team – I appreciate them because Helle is a fantastic coach and a good person, so it means a lot to hear it from people like her.

We played very well against Russia [in our quarter-final], yes, but the match against Netherlands is another game – a totally different game. Netherlands have been developing every year, step-by-step – they have taken new steps with Helle after Rio 2016 and they have come closer to beating us each time and I think our match will show two equal teams.

It’s maybe a 50/50 chance to win and that’s OK at the start and then the team which makes the most out of it will win. It could be Netherlands absolutely, or it could be us, it depends how well we work. We know we can win, but it’s not enough [to know]. You have to do it. We have a short time to prepare so we have to be effective.

Media question: Both Norway and Netherlands play a similar style, what will be the key to winning – goalkeeping, defence or attack?

Thorir Hergeirsson: One year ago, we played Netherlands [at EHF EURO 2016] and [even though we won the match] they beat us with their fast play on court. One year ago they were the best women’s handball team in the world in terms of speed.

We decided after this that we wanted to be as fast, or faster again – because some years ago we were, and we are now on our way to be faster and I think it is quite equal.

If you look at the statistics and look at the games I think we are quite even with the running and the speed of the play between the goals, so it will be very interesting because they can also have a lot of tempo and speed in their play. This is going to be a crucial moment of the game.

Media question: Is it a psychological factor that Norway have beaten Netherlands in Herning (World Championship 2015), Rio (Olympic Games 2016) and Gothenburg (EHF EURO 2016) in finals matches over the past two years?

Thorir Hergeirsson: It’s in the past. Our semi-final is a new game with new opportunities. Netherlands’ players and the team also have dreams, they have been developing all the way and as Helle said, maybe not playing the best they can, but they have been winning matches and they have been fighting well so one day they will win a crucial game against Norway, but we will fight for that not to happen, so we will see.

IHF.info: After the Russia game you said your defence played maybe the best you have seen them. Can you get even more out of this team?

Thorir Hergeirsson: We played very well in our defence against Russia. In other phases of the play we were not so good, so it was really up and down. It doesn’t help [against Netherlands] if you are not wearing your ‘working clothes’. We are a working team. 

We only play well when we work 100% and we will try to do so [in the semi-final]. I’m humble, because we play against a very strong opponent. You’ll have to wait and see.

Media question: In former times, the teams of Norway were very tall, but now your key players are quite small. Is that something you have thought of or is it just coincidence?

Thorir Hergeirsson: I’m not so tall so it’s easy for me if the players are not so tall – that’s just a joke! It’s a coincidence, maybe, because of our system of developing sport in Norway where some players get good coaches by coincidence when they are young. 

For example, maybe [as a young player] your father was a good handball player and he will coach your team, so these girls or boys get a good coach. But, in the next team at the same club maybe there are parents who don’t know as much about handball but coach, but don’t have the same skills as coaches. 

So, you could have two teams at the same club with one-year difference but not the same opportunity. So, this, and the system in Norway, is coincidence. So, it’s not too bad to have good national teams when you have a system like that. 

But good sides have a lot of engagement, with many people working around the club and having roles at the club and this is a good thing with Norwegian handball. There are good sides and bad sides, so it’s more coincidence that these players are in the side and they are small. It is not a system.