An interesting point of view gave Zika Bogdanovic, editor of Balkan-Handball.com, in his blog about the Danish Olympic gold titled as “Gudmundur, forgive us”.
- National team performance is sometimes also a question of team spirit and that didn’t look good at the start of his Gudmundsson era in Denmark. Only average World Championship in Qatar, where they ended in quarter-final, same impression was after EURO 2016 in Denmark. Â That put on fire even “cold” Danish handball community, who began to lose patience with Icelander. That wasn’t Wilbek’s Denmark, the team who was killing with the tempo, running over rivals, run and gun, playing in disco mood.
- Expectations was that tournament in Rio will be the end of Gudmundsson era on the Danish bench. Predictions were telling that Danes will stay, once again, out of the battle for the first Olympic medal. The new start at the begining of the new Olympic cycle was in the minds…
- Even Balkan perspective of the Danish team wasn’t more positive. The only shooter alongside Mikkel Hansen, Nikolaj Markussen lost himself in past few years. The best DKB Bundesliga player Rasmus Lauge had to miss Rio due injury, as left wing Anders Eggert. Hans Lindberg lost his place in the team after many years. Nobody expected that Morten Olsen from Hannover can bring the historical success. Who can say that before? Morten “who” Olsen?
But, they did it! Danes were first against the new rule which will “change handball”, but they first won the gold in 7 on 6 play! They became the champions at the start of new era.
Forgive us, Gudmundur…
PHOTO: IHF, Stephane Pillaud
