As we inch ever nearer to the beginning of the FIH Hockey Professional League 2025-26 season on 9 December, we’re excited to convey you an unique pre-season interview sequence with gamers and coaches from the world’s prime hockey nations collaborating within the “League of the Finest”.
This sequence will dive into the minds of the game’s most interesting athletes and coaches, uncovering their ideas on the upcoming season, private objectives, and the methods their groups are crafting to compete on the highest degree. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, these interviews present a novel glimpse into the fervour, preparation, and drive that gas the groups vying for glory.
In right now’s interview we communicate with Raoul Ehren, coach of the Netherlands girls’s hockey crew…
How did you put together for the brand new FIH Hockey Professional League season after successful the European Championship?
We first took a brief break after the Euros and let the membership season get began. After two weeks of competitors, we resumed central coaching with the Dutch Ladies’s Nationwide Workforce on October 1st. Each Monday and Tuesday we’re now again on the sphere getting ready for the brand new season.
After all, we evaluated the European Championship, each as a crew and individually. Then we made new plans to make sure we are able to take the subsequent step collectively as a bunch.
You received the FIH Hockey Professional League final 12 months; how do you charge your probabilities for this season?
Because the Netherlands, we’ve got a accountability to go for the win in each match we play. It is sensible that we’re as soon as once more seen because the favourites. We’re aiming to win the Professional League once more this season, we wish to win all the things we probably can. Particularly now that there’s an Olympic ticket to play for!
Will you strategy this FIH Hockey Professional League season in a different way now that there’s an Olympic ticket to win?
This season is certainly totally different from the final one. Final 12 months was a post-Olympic 12 months, with new teaching employees and lots of younger gamers we may give alternatives to. Ten younger gamers made their debut within the Professional League final season. The probabilities of that taking place once more this 12 months will not be that massive. We’ll even be lacking the Below-21 gamers through the first Professional League block, as they’ll be competing on the Junior World Cup.
The truth that there’s now an Olympic ticket as much as win makes the Professional League much more thrilling. Everybody can be decided to get the very best outcomes. It might be incredible to safe that Olympic ticket earlier than the World Cup, that’s completely our purpose.
What does the FIH Hockey Professional League imply to you?
As head coach, I actually take pleasure in enjoying matches, that’s at all times essentially the most enjoyable a part of hockey. The Professional League video games are nice moments of measurement, to see the place we stand. I like the aggressive ingredient. The highest 9 groups on the planet are competing, which makes it actually particular to play matches like these. I’m positively trying ahead to it!
One other beauty of the Professional League is that we regularly play in entrance of packed stadiums. In Argentina it’s at all times full, I haven’t been to China but, so I don’t know what it’s like there, however in Belgium, with their new stadium, it’ll certainly be packed. And naturally, we additionally play in entrance of enthusiastic and full crowds within the Netherlands.
What do your gamers study from the FIH Hockey Professional League?
Enjoying matches is what they love most! It’s a terrific honour to characterize your nation and to have the ability to present what you are able to do on that stage. Doing that in entrance of full stadiums provides an additional dimension to the entire expertise.
