With the second half of the FIH Hockey Professional League 2024-25 quick approaching, we’re catching up with gamers and coaches of all 9 males’s and ladies’s groups to take the temperature of their season via the primary half and discover their targets for the remaining matches. In right this moment’s interview, we converse with Janneke Schopman, coach of the German ladies’s hockey crew, Die Danas.
The primary half of the FIH Professional League is within the books – what’s your evaluation up to now, and the way happy are you with the crew’s growth?
We’ve been fairly inconsistent – that’s in all probability probably the most correct method to describe it. With a younger and new group, we had an honest begin. In India, I truly assume our performances improved, however the outcomes didn’t replicate that. That’s typically the case with a growing crew. General, I’m proud of the route we’re going, however we undoubtedly have to take the subsequent step in June.
What tactical takeaways have you ever gathered up to now – and the place do you at the moment see the best want for enchancment?
As a brand new coach, it’s been necessary for me to step again and observe first – to get a way of the place our strengths lie earlier than making an attempt to vary an excessive amount of. I’ve realized rather a lot over the previous few months. A transparent space of focus for us proper now’s our penalty nook play – each attacking and defending. That’s the place we have to make actual progress and begin having extra influence.
How would you charge the depth and stage of competitors up to now – notably in comparison with different worldwide tournaments?
It’s worldwide hockey – it’s the Professional League – so gamers are undoubtedly competing with extra goal than they’d in a pleasant. It’s not fairly on the stage of a World Cup or the Olympics, nevertheless it’s a robust commonplace and it calls for rather a lot from everybody concerned.
Out of your perspective, has the Professional League format established itself? What are the strengths and challenges of the present construction?
I’d say it’s nonetheless a format in growth. It’s actually about discovering the suitable stability – between journey, high-level matches, and participant workload. Particularly with home competitions just like the Bundesliga within the combine, the bodily calls for are fairly excessive. However the main benefit is that you just get to play in opposition to the very best groups on this planet regularly. That offers you a really clear thought of the place you stand – and it pushes you to carry out.
How effectively is your squad dealing with the journey, match rhythm, and restoration?
Some days higher than others – that’s simply the truth. Journey is pricey, particularly to sure components of the world, so there are moments the place you need to make compromises. However I’ve to say, the crew is dealing with it rather well. They keep targeted, they don’t complain, they usually simply get on with the job. That’s one thing I actually worth.
What position does the Professional League play within the long-term growth of your squad – particularly when it comes to cohesion, tactical readability, and adaptableness?
The Professional League offers us a platform to persistently play high-level matches. That forces us to construct a robust baseline and helps set up consistency in our sport. For the youthful gamers, it’s particularly invaluable – they’re instantly uncovered to the depth of worldwide hockey. That form of expertise actually helps with constructing chemistry and understanding throughout the crew.
Are you utilizing the Professional League particularly to experiment with completely different lineups or rotate the squad?
That’s a bit difficult to reply definitively proper now. I solely began this yr, and a few roster selections had already been made early on. So we ended up utilizing completely different lineups nearly by default. Going ahead, we’ll work in the direction of a extra steady setup. However in fact, we’ll proceed utilizing the total squad – we’ve loads of matches and we’ll want everybody accessible.
What are your targets for the second half of the season – notably with the upcoming dwelling matches in Berlin?
Taking part in in Berlin is a large alternative for us. Competing in entrance of our dwelling crowd is one thing the crew is absolutely enthusiastic about. We wish to present our greatest hockey, deliver our vitality and identification onto the pitch, and present the followers what this crew is all about. I actually hope folks come out to assist us – it’ll be value their time.
