Robin: “You can’t say ‘no’ when Nantes give you a call”

Mickaël Robin should not have been here. He should have been in his physiotherapist’s office with patients, starting his second life after playing handball professionally for 20 years, having just retired from the game at US Créteil HB.

A career that saw him also play in the EHF Champions League for the likes of Montpellier HB and Barça.

But a phone call from HBC Nantes after the 2020/21 season changed all his retirement plans.

“I had everything ready, but Nantes are not something you can say ‘no’ to. They remain one of the biggest clubs in Europe, they have played the EHF FINAL4 twice,” the 36-year-old goalkeeper said.

A few months after his move to the west of France, Robin has absolutely no regret about extending his handball career with another season.

“I played in Montpellier, in Chambéry, places where the fans are supporting you strongly. But Nantes’ fans, they are on another level,” he said.

“Last week, we played twice at home in the French league, and not against the best teams, and the arena was twice sold-out. Our fans know handball and will be with us, day in, day out.”

Robin is certainly enjoying his time back on court, also because Nantes are playing in the EHF European League Men 2021/22.

His last European adventure dated from 2017, when he played in the EHF Cup with Créteil.

“It has changed so much since then. Of course, when you have not played twice a week since 2014, like me, playing the European League takes some adjustment,” he said with a smile – as his age doesn’t show on court.

“The pleasure beats the tiredness. I am so happy playing these games against Lemgo or Benfica or Chekhov, teams that have a long European history.”

Robin arrived at Nantes as a back-up for No. 1 goalkeeper Emil Nielsen. But with the Danish star out injured, Robin has been getting his time in the spotlight.

In their first two games in the European League, Nantes won at Cocks but lost at home to TBV Lemgo Lippe, leaving a bitter taste for the goalkeeper.

“I would rather not play and win games than the other way around,” he said. “I have been trying to help the team the best I could and also to have fun on the court. For now, the results have been mixed, and we cannot afford to lose a second straight home game against GOG on Tuesday.”

Working with Nielsen has been another factor adding to Robin’s joy.

The Danish goalkeeper, still only 24, keeps impressing his teammates day after day.

“He is a Martian, just pure genius. He has got a crazy instinct, and he is very strong mentally,” Robin said.

“But the thing that makes us all smile in the locker room is that, when training is at 10 a.m., he can show up at 9.58, his hair all over the place and barely awake. And 10 minutes later, he is giving hell to all the player shooting towards him.”

Even though he is enjoying the current season. Robin was not expecting to further delay his retirement from the game.

“That is not the plan, and now, my mantra is: ‘Never say never.’ It is hard for me to think ahead a few months,” Robin said. “If my career is meant to end in June, that would have been the perfect final experience.”

Photos courtesy of Kevin Domas