Handball: after a Euro without a medal, the Blues and their new coach must ask themselves the right questions

The leaders of the European federation have the cruelty to make the Blues drink the chalice to the dregs. In a ridiculous ceremony, they impose on the French women beaten by the Hungarians in the small final of the Euro (25-24), the delivery of a box with a charm inside. “I thought they wanted to shoot us,” squeaks guard Laura Glauser. Inside there is no gold, silver or bronze. Just a tin medal good for being forgotten at the bottom of a drawer. “It’s annoying,” says Lucie Granier.

A year after the world title and 4 months after the final lost at the Games in Lille, the French women’s team returns empty-handed from the Euro. Like two years ago, the Blues failed in fourth place, the one which leaves the most regrets. “It’s sad,” regrets Estelle Nze Minko on BeIN SPORT, “because it shows that our last two matches are the worst even though they were the most important. We arrived in the last four with the feeling of being ready even though we probably weren’t ready enough.”

“We lacked efficiency but not heart”

Gold medal in 2023, silver medal in the summer and chocolate medal in the fall: in 12 months, the Blues have fallen in the hierarchy. It’s their fault first of all, they didn’t know how to free themselves in money time. In 48 hours, the French lost their confidence, their serenity, their impact on fast play and their effectiveness in attack. Sébastien Gardillou’s girls broke down at the worst moment, the one that determines the success of a competition or not. “We certainly lacked efficiency in this last match. We missed 2 goals to be in front but we didn’t lack heart,” argues the new coach.

“To say bad things about Sébastien is too hard”

This very bitter chocolate medal poses a slight doubt on the abilities of this new-look French team, led by a new staff. Gardillou expected it but the succession of Olivier Krumbholz is a difficult legacy to carry. He will not fail to be compared in the coming hours to the one for whom he was deputy from 2016 to 2024. This would be forgetting that Lorraine has also experienced failures, notably at the Euro where France did not triumph only once in 2018. Gardillou cannot be judged after his first competition without a reward.

“Saying bad things about Sébastien is too hard,” defends Camille Ayglon-Saurina, consultant for BeIN SPORT and European champion 6 years ago with him. He is a hard worker who places a lot of importance on people. It shows that we can perform while respecting people and that is important in high-level sport. »

During the tournament, the former Metz coach enchanted the downtime with the names of these game systems: “Paris-Brest”, “Paris-Oslo”, “Paris-Barça”, “Paris-Yougo” or even a “Paris-Comiac” in homage to the village of the coach’s best friend. Even if nothing has worked well since the semi-final and the Blues found themselves without a solution, Gardillou remains a master tactician who has the confidence of his girls. “He started on the staff as a video analyst before gaining the trust of Olivier (Krumbholz) rewinds Camille Ayglon-Saurina. This is an aspect that he masters to perfection. »

What future for Nze Minko?

Siraba Dembélé, also champion in 2018 and consultant for the Qatari channel, abounds. “Seb did not stake his credibility on this Euro. He started it with 2 victories in 4 preparation matches without panicking and taking a risk that was both intelligent and courageous. For his very first match already against the Hungarians in Toulon, he left several executives to rest (Nze minko, Foppa, Horacek…). He took this risk of losing entry by attracting negative comments. But he knows where he wants to go. » “We have known each other for 9 years, we are very close. This role suits him perfectly. The way things work is in her image: caring, good humor, work and precision,” insists Estelle Nze Minko.

However, things will have to change. Staying idle as if everything was going well when the competition is advancing is dangerous in view of the next meeting, the World Cup at the end of 2025. Sébastien Gardillou is aware of this, releasing an enigmatic statement at the end of the small final. “I know what we missed but I can’t tell you. Compared to the Hungarians, we lacked the power that we will have to find elsewhere, perhaps with other players, perhaps by looking for it among the younger players. When we finished fourth at the last Euro, it gave us a good boost to move forward. I dare to believe that it will be yet another new beginning.

The first change could be significant: captain Estelle Nze Minko leaves doubts about her future in Blue.