“When I enter the room, many shy away and hide their eyes”: Koksharov about his work as a coach, the World Cup in handball and the Russian national team

An eminent player in the past, and now the head coach of the Russian men's national handball team, Eduard Koksharov, does not often find time in his busy schedule for communicating with the press, especially during the World Cup. However, for RT he agreed to make an exception.

"It was necessary to play harder"

- On the one hand, the Russian national team scored only four points in five games, on the other hand, if we discard the meeting that did not solve anything with the French, we lost only once. How to evaluate the performance of the team at the World Cup, given the fact that the task was not completed?

- Scored points in equal games with Serbia and Germany, should be regarded as a positive result. Yes, we could not win in both meetings, but the matter could have ended in two defeats, if we recall how events developed in these meetings. The defeat of Brazil, of course, spoiled everything, the situation was more favorable to him.

- What happened to the team in meeting with Hispanics?

- I have not changed my opinion regarding what happened: the implementation let us down. Had a lot of moments, but managed to miss or hit the goalkeepers. This is inexplicable, because if the guys are given the opportunity to replay every spoiled episode, they realize most of the moments. In addition, there was not enough concentration at the beginning of the match, they joined the game and earned their full power only after a long break. Well, Timur Dibirov’s removal was inappropriate.

- The defeat of the reigning world champions came out more offensive, given the fact that even five minutes before the end of your wards led by a difference of three goals?

- I wanted to complete the group stage on a positive note. It was nice that the guys did not give up and tried to win. And if the judges in the end decided to appoint a seven-meter, the right to which we deserve, the result would be more fair - my team looked just as good.

- Many experts noted your maximalism after a single meeting won with Korea.

- If we talk about claims to the players, then this is normal. I did not like how we defended. Those who are not present in the locker room and at the pre-match debriefing are hard to understand. But the fact is that we are negotiating and preparing, and when the team forgets about it, naturally, we have to remind it about it. It is in such meetings that one has to learn to level flaws in order to play successfully with such strong rivals as Germany and France. Stability is one of the main indicators of class.

- Korea has made concessions at this tournament, allowing the expanded joint team to be announced. How did you feel about such an indulgence for the opponent?

- Absolutely calm. I should have started to worry if an expanded squad would have allowed the French, who would easily have about fifty equal players. With such a margin of safety, they would be nothing scary. As for the Koreans, I will answer this way - we could also say 40 people, but still we would play nine (smiles) .

- Red cards at major tournaments are doubly unpleasant. How do you feel about them, if you drop the emotional component?

- In the case of Dmitry Kiselev, who earned the removal in the match with Korea after three two-minute expulsions, everything is not so deadly. We had to restructure. I planned to give rest to Alexander Shkurinsky, but he had to spend much more time on the site.

Removing Timur Dibirov in the game with Brazil is another story. Here the psychological aspect played a major role, and the situation in which all this happened. But this is a sport, it happens, unfortunately. I constantly talk about it, and the team is trying to adapt to the changing criteria of the judges. It is difficult for others to do this in such a short time, so that we are in the same conditions.

- Doesn't it seem to you at the same time that an attempt to play too calmly is a double-edged sword, because sport anger and aggression often bring results?

- I agree. If we played with the Serbs, it was as tough as the next day with the Koreans - the result would have been completely different. It was worth playing more actively.

- And what about the psychology, because compared to the game against the hosts - the Germans, the team obviously burned out emotionally and failed to assemble at the Brazilians?

- From my own experience I will say - you need to properly prepare, putting aside emotions. And even more so, do not pay attention to the hall. After ten minutes of the game, when your heart rate rises, you don’t hear anything and work on the machine. Here you can see everything that you have learned. At this moment I can’t change anything and get to the players, all the issues need to be resolved before the game, and not try to shout down 10 thousand people later.

"Those who are in the national team are the strongest"

- At the tournament, quite a lot of playing time was won by young people - Aleksey Fokin, Sergey Mark Kosorotov and Sergey Gorpishin. How do you rate the game debutants?

- I myself went this way of a handball player - from a beginner, completely “green”, to experienced. And I perfectly understand what is happening now in the guys' minds. I try to adequately assess in advance their capabilities, what they are capable of, and which segments of the game I can trust them. Naturally, this whole process took place before the final decision on the composition of the national team was made. Therefore, I can say that those people who flew to Germany for the World Cup were the strongest, in my opinion, and at any time could go out and support the team.

- In the application there were four left welteries and one right. How to work with such a roll?

- Rather, it was so - on the back line there were four players with the right leading hand and one with the left. According to the line, I would not share them. This situation is due to the "epidemic" of injuries. Sasha Shkurinsky covered three positions at once, and Alexander Derev'en could play on the right edge. But you can't say that we have only one player on the right. I try to prepare children for a certain universality.

- Sergey Mark Kosorotov made his debut not only at the venue, but also at a press conference ...

- Seryozha in that game with Korea for the first time got the opportunity to start the game in the starting lineup and completed the task set for him. He is a full member of the team, and a press conference is the same job. I would not regard it as a candy that gets distinguished player, just the organizers at the time chose it.

- taking time to watch other matches? Any results personally surprised you?

- There were some sensations. For example, a draw of Hungary and Argentina. Basically, all the amazing results are explicable. There are several reasons - this is the general tension in the first games, where the favorites did not demonstrate all their capabilities, and the fact that the overall level of the national teams has grown. There is no such abyss as before, between leaders and outsiders.

- The popularity of handball in Russia is not so high. How long does it take to restart the sport and reach the level that France has reached today?

- It is difficult to predict the future. We perfectly understand that now handball is far from those positions in which he was in the Soviet Union. FGR President Sergey Shishkaryov and his team are doing their best to change the situation. There is already progress - our games at the World Cup are broadcast live on television. So, there is interest in this sport. Everyone in his place must work and do something to bring handball to a qualitatively different level.

- Even 20 years ago, the Russian national team consistently played in the playoffs of major tournaments and fought for medals, but now we cannot get out of the groups ...

- France also had a similar period when they sank to the bottom. Then state support started working, funds were invested in children's schools, good players appeared, a very strong generation grew up, and the team gave results. What they have done in this direction should be an example for many countries.

- Is there a problem in Russia with the support of children's and youth handball?

- Yes it is. We are trying to change something, but today, we do not have such support as in Europe.

“When I played, I thought only of myself, and now I am responsible for everyone.”

- For you, the current tournament first as a mentor. How much different are the impressions compared to when, as a player, you went to the floor yourself?

- When I was younger, I was thinking only about myself, about the tasks that the coach set for me, and I wanted to express myself as best I could. Working as a coach is completely different. Here you are responsible for the whole team, develop a strategy and plan. You need to foresee everything: time for rest and training, joint video analysis. It is I who adapt to the players in order to make the process as comfortable as possible for them. When developing a strategy, I try to find the opponent’s weak points, but I also need to properly convey my ideas to the team in order to understand me correctly. There can not do with common words and dry phrases, you need to find an approach to people in a limited time.

- Is the coach worrying more players?

- There is a good saying - "The fish is rotting from the head." In no case wards should not see by my facial expression or behavior that I am nervous and worried. Even if I have some doubts in my head, I adjust myself, and go out to them, radiating energy and confidence. If I start shaking, how can they keep calm?

- Many say that during the game you are restrained and concentrated, you almost never raise your voice. What is the secret of the "Olympic calm" on the court?

- Probably, the cameras do not always show me at the right time (Laughs) . I think now all the experts are already behaving in this way or are striving for it. One of the judges' innovations is to deprive the team of one time out if the bench earns a yellow card.

I can not afford a second weakness, so that later at a critical moment do not have time to say something to the team. And screaming players during the match is pointless. If I did not explain, did not show the solution before the start of the game, then during it I will not teach them anymore. I can only wait for a break and make adjustments to the process in the locker room, including at the emotional level. I think it’s right that it remains behind closed doors.

- Daniel Shishkaryov, on the contrary, talks a lot on the court. Does this happen at your request?

- These are his emotions, and duty, as a captain. He is close to the partners, and if something does not work, he tries to direct their actions in the right direction.

- In humans, you seem to be a tough man, but how are things in everyday life?

- People who know me superficially are called strict. Even at work, when I enter, many shy away and hide their eyes, which surprises me to this day. When asked what was the matter, they answered: “Did you see yourself in the mirror?” Those who have been close to me for a long time and close to me say that I am a gentle person. Over the years, I have developed a position - I don’t let people close to me, but there is a certain circle that has been formed a long time ago that knows me the present. I try not to mix work and friendship, because I know for sure that I will not be able to give any indulgences "as a friend." At the service we are all professionals, and we will be friends later.

- Before the Olympic Games in Beijing, you said that you want to leave the sport and try yourself in something else. But in the end, fate brought you a surprise, 10 years later you headed the Russian team, without having a solid coaching practice. Why did this happen?

- I ended my gaming career in Slovenia, and at the end of the season the question seemed resolved. There was a contract, and after the New Year I had to start coaching in my club. It was not signed due to a simple coincidence - there was no secretary on the spot. Leaving on vacation, I assured colleagues that all the formalities will be met upon return.

But rightly they say, everything that is done is for the best. Such a unique person like Vladimir Maksimov offered me to play for Chekhov Bears. He found the right words, played on my ambitions and convinced me that I could be useful. Then the Russian team had the last opportunity to get to the Olympics in London.

I accepted the offer, and although we did not go to London, the contract worked out completely. Even before its completion, I received an offer from my region - to become the first deputy minister of sports of the Krasnodar Territory, and I agreed. The work in the ministry was very intense, I got tremendous experience in many areas. At that time, there was an active preparation for the Olympic Games in Sochi, and the Krasnodar Office was largely responsible for its conduct. From there they invited me to head the two united clubs Kuban and Skiff, and I realized that it was time to return to handball.

- Now you are the sports director of the Macedonian "Vardar" and four players from this club play for the national team at once. Are you pleased with the fact that domestic handball players are leaving abroad?

- Yes, it contributes to their progress, they get a great experience. But at the level of one club it is impossible to solve all the problems of the national team.

- Do you plan to invite promising young people to “Vardar”?

- I can not reveal all the secrets.