– Of course we wish we could take more “Photograph” etc., but we are here to play and win as much as possible, says Stine Bredal Oftedal, captain of the Norwegian national handball team.
Hundreds of children and young people were in Hamar and Lillehammer this weekend to follow Norwegian girls’ handball in the build-up to the World Cup on home soil.
On Saturday, they were able to see Norway beat Iceland 31-21.
But many of them had to take the stairs home – without taking a photo with their large passenger vehicle.
– We’d love to give back a lot, but there’s something about that total that we have to be careful about. “It’s a shame that it has to be like this, but it’s important to us,” says veteran Camilla Hirem.
National team coach Torer Hergerson and the Norwegian national team took strict measures before and during the World Cup.
As little close contact as possible with strangers.
– We do what is very common in major sports when there are important competitions. You may not be in contact with all kinds of people, so you try to limit your circle of friends.
Extreme Rules: Captain Stine Bredal Oftedal in conversation with star Maja Furu Sæteren.
Photo: Beyat Uma Dahli/NTB
The captain adds that the tournament on home soil makes it more difficult.
-We pTheft, after all, is generally very strict. They try to isolate us as much as possible. We are in Norway, and of course there are a lot of family members around, and there are many Norwegians who want to get closer, so we just have to try to keep our distance.
Afraid of the “Home Field Nightmare”
The last time Norway won a tournament on home soil was during the European Championship in 2010, and the Norwegian team had a great time.
– H“He remembers it well because we almost knocked the team out of the tournament,” Hergerson says.
At the start of the intermediate round, the Norwegian team was ravaged by infectious diseases and almost half of the team was infected with the dreaded norovirus.
Illness: The national team coach recalls that half the team was sick the last time Norway played the tournament at home.
Photography: Alexander Nedbayev/NRK
– As our honorable doctor Ola Sanad says: Then people have to eat feces, which is not good, points out the national team manager.
Norway suffered an embarrassing loss to Sweden 19-24 in the first match in the intermediate round, after a number of its big stars were excluded from the field.
– Tourer also remembers very well that we had half a team watching there in 2010, and he remembers Camilla Herrem and laughs.
On the other hand, Norway took revenge when it just beat Sweden in the final 25-20 and achieved its fourth consecutive victory in the European Championship.
Ask for understanding
In this sense, and with influenza and other diseases spreading freely, the national team coach and players hope that the fans will understand that the team must take precautions during this year’s tournament on its home soil.
EXPERIENCE: Camilla Herrem remembers well the European Championships on home soil, where half the team crashed out of the tournament due to a stomach virus.
Photo: Beyat Uma Dahli/NTB
– Dr“The last thing you want is to miss a lot of matches because you got sick, because you made a few mistakes here and there and didn’t take all the precautions you should have taken,” says Hirem, who has won nearly 300 caps and has the flag on his chest.
– s“We try to give back what we can, and because I understand it’s important to give back to those who come and watch,” she adds.
The national team coach stressed that despite everything that happens on the field, it is the most important thing, and he is not afraid that the fans will feel very disappointed because close contact with the stars will be limited.
– Life consists of joys and sorrows, ups and downs. “I like to believe that with handball girls there are more ups than downs, so I think we will be forgiven and understood for that,” answers the 59-year-old.
Fear: The biggest fear among the Norwegian coaching staff is the spread of the disease in the Norwegian team.
Photo: Beyat Uma Dahli/NTB
But even if the rules are strict, the players also promise that fans will get some of their own. Players will still be handed out pre-signed autograph cards.
If the distance is large enough, players can also line up in the photo.
– sShould we be able to return the favor to them without it posing too much risk, but the most important thing is to be a little reasonable about it, stresses Hennie Rystad, who is supported by the captain;
– Hg believes that winning the championship at home and seeing us in action – isn’t that the main attraction?
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