Helle Thomsen: “We kept the dream of the EHF Finals alive”

The Danish coach took over the helm in Nantes in February 2022 and managed to lead the team straight to their second EHF Finals Women, which according to Helle Thomsen's words was not an easy task.

Their season was not perfect and had its ups and downs. In group C, they finished second behind CS Gloria 2018 BN with three wins, one draw and two defeats, before a new rise in the quarter-finals where they were convincing against Sola HK.

“The season has not been easy for us. There have been ups and downs but we were good, we kept this dream alive and the goal was to go to the EHF Finals. It has been our dream throughout the whole season. I am happy for the girls and the group that we are in Graz.”

Helle Thomsen will leave the club at the end of the season, together with a good number of players. Even though it is not easy to part ways, coach Thomsen only looks on the bright side and wishes to bid farewell with a trophy.

“The idea for Nantes in the summer was to have a team for the EHF Champions League. We brought new players and increased the level. Everything changed in November 2023. All that left an impact.”

“I felt a little bit down and it was hard at the time, but now I only have one focus - for us to play well and see how far we can go. We want to end the season as best as we can, to have a reward for all of us who are leaving the club. It would mean a lot to each of us.”

Thomsen's team plays against Storhamar Handball Elite in the second semi-final in Graz on Saturday, 11 May at 18:00 CEST. It will be their first-ever clash in a European competition, but Storhamar are not a stranger to her.

“I follow the Norwegian league a lot and I think I have watched almost 90 per cent of Storhamar's games. I think I know them well. They have a strong team that played in the EHF Champions League last season and I think they deserved to play this season as well. It says enough about them.”

“The team is even a bit stronger than last season, they have a great team with fast play. They have been together for a lot of years and have only small changes in the squad, so you can see a clear concept of their game,” explained Thomsen.

It is not only Storhamar that Helle Thomsen knows, but also the EHF European League Women's current top scorer Anniken Obaidli and her teammate Mathilde Rivas-Toft. Thomsen used to coach them in Molde Elite and has nothing but praise.

“Anniken played almost at the same level when she was at Molde, when I used to coach her. She is a high-level, smart-thinking player and most of all, a team player. She can shoot and the way she reads the game is amazing. It is always funny to play against the players you used to coach. In a way, you want to win but also you want them to play well. So it will be nice to play against her and Mathilde on Saturday,” says Thomsen.

Nantes are the only team out of the four in Graz that have previously played at the EHF Finals Women. H.C. Dunarea Braila, CS Gloria 2018 BN and Storhamar Handball Elite are the debutants, but Thomsen says there is no pressure on her team. Every team that has made it to Graz is a strong opponent.

“We don't have pressure just because Nantes are former winners. We don't think about what has happened in the past. When you are playing those kinds of matches, the final tournaments, for the first time it can be difficult. I experienced that with my former team Midtjylland and we were in shock. Here, you have no such team.”

“When you see all the players that are here in Graz, you know they are all amazing players. They have been in the national teams and have played in high pressure games in European competitions. They all strive to be great”, adds Thomsen.

The handball fans in Graz are looking forward to two days of excitement, drama and celebrations in Raiffeisen Sportpark. For teams, on the other hand, it is another level of excitement.

“If you want to win in the semi-final you have to have the best day and also be like that in the final. It is all about mentality, who is the strongest. Especially if you lose the semi-final game and have to fight for the third place. In the final, every little thing counts - every save, how you enter the game… It is a whole other level,” explains Thomsen.

Experienced head coach Thomsen, who also won the Cup Winner's Cup with FC Midtjylland in 2015, knows what it means to be part of the final games and big tournaments and wants all the players to take the most out of it. Those memories are what is left.

“Being a part of the final tournament is a special thing, to be here with three other teams, a lot of journalists, and the whole atmosphere. You can feel the extra energy. Sometimes, you need to take a break for a moment from the job and enjoy it because it goes by so fast that you can forget it. This is a special moment. You never know if you are going to be able to come here again.”

Photos © Andrea Mueller