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 girls’s groups to take the temperature of their season by the primary half and discover their targets for the remaining matches. In as we speak’s interview, we converse with Janneke Schopman, coach of the German ladies’s hockey workforce, Die Danas.
The primary half of the FIH Professional League is within the books – what’s your evaluation to date, and the way happy are you with the workforce’s growth?
We’ve been fairly inconsistent – that’s most likely essentially the most correct solution to describe it. With a younger and new group, we had a good begin. In India, I truly assume our performances improved, however the outcomes didn’t replicate that. That’s typically the case with a growing workforce. General, I’m proud of the route we’re going, however we positively must take the following step in June.
What tactical takeaways have you ever gathered to date – and the place do you presently see the best want for enchancment?
As a brand new coach, it’s been vital for me to step again and observe first – to get a way of the place our strengths lie earlier than attempting to alter an excessive amount of. I’ve discovered quite a bit 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 impression.
How would you fee the depth and degree of competitors to date – notably in comparison with different worldwide tournaments?
It’s worldwide hockey – it’s the Professional League – so gamers are positively competing with extra objective than they might in a pleasant. It’s not fairly on the degree of a World Cup or the Olympics, but it surely’s a powerful customary and it calls for quite a bit 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 proper 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 simply get to play towards the most effective groups on the planet frequently. That offers you a really clear thought of the place you stand – and it pushes you to carry out.
How nicely is your squad dealing with the journey, match rhythm, and restoration?
Some days higher than others – that’s simply the fact. Journey is dear, particularly to sure elements of the world, so there are moments the place you must make compromises. However I’ve to say, the workforce is dealing with it rather well. They keep centered, 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 flexibility?
The Professional League offers us a platform to persistently play high-level matches. That forces us to construct a powerful baseline and helps set up consistency in our sport. For the youthful gamers, it’s particularly useful – they’re instantly uncovered to the depth of worldwide hockey. That type of expertise actually helps with constructing chemistry and understanding throughout the workforce.
Are you utilizing the Professional League particularly to experiment with totally different lineups or rotate the squad?
That’s a bit tough to reply definitively proper now. I solely began this 12 months, and a few roster choices had already been made early on. So we ended up utilizing totally different lineups nearly by default. Going ahead, we’ll work in the direction of a extra secure setup. However in fact, we’ll proceed utilizing the total squad – we’ve numerous matches and we’ll want everybody out there.
What are your objectives for the second half of the season – notably with the upcoming house matches in Berlin?
Taking part in in Berlin is a big alternative for us. Competing in entrance of our house crowd is one thing the workforce is actually enthusiastic about. We need to present our greatest hockey, carry our vitality and identification onto the pitch, and present the followers what this workforce is all about. I actually hope individuals come out to assist us – it’ll be value their time.
