Icelander Thorir Hergeirsson took over the Norwegian women's national handball team in 2009 and since then he has led them to four EC gold medals, three WC gold medals and one Olympic gold medal.

He has always had the Swedish goalkeeping coach Mats Olsson by his side - and he cannot stress enough how important Olsson has been to the Norwegian successes.

Above all, world goalkeeper Katrine Lunde has benefited greatly from the Swede.

- She has had perhaps the best in the world in the form of Mats Olsson.

He is also very development-focused and innovative all the time.

Even though he has passed 60 years, I know few who are as passionate about development as Mats is, says Hergeirsson to handbolls-em.se.

Olsson also has a lot to say about when the Norwegian national team is selected.

- Already early in August, we started founding a squad.

I took out mine, Tonje (Larsen, assistant national team captain) took out his and Mats took out his.

Then we took out a new squad in September and then a new squad as it got closer.

And then we discuss and argue for and against.

Mats is extremely good at that particular part, where he becomes a bit of a devil's advocate, says Hergeirsson.

The EC starts on November 4.

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Glenn Solberg and Martin Boquist.

Photo: Bildbyrån