Norbert Sekely, captain of our women’s national basketball team, which finished fourth in the European Championship, will continue to rely on his current team members, and he feels that his players have done what their country requires.
| Norbert Sekeli (Photo: Archives) |
How mentally exhausted were the last two weeks of the captain of the national team?
“I am incredibly tired, mentally, physically, mentally, in every way.” he told Nemzeti Sport on Tuesday afternoon Norbert Sekely, Who led the Hungarian women’s basketball team to fourth place at the European Championships in Ljubljana. – And not only me, but also everyone else in the team, in the staff – what we’ve been through since May 1st, intensified in the last two weeks, is enough for a year.
“Have you already learned the lessons of fourth place, or do you want to relax before that?”
– As we move forward in time, more and more aspects will become clear, and 99 percent of them are positive. I’m constantly trying to figure out what happened, and I’m very proud that we were able to represent the whole country, not as a club team, a great result. The country was behind us, and we managed to cheer up a lot of people. Behind the Hungarian bench, not only the fans, but also the team managers and coaching mates shouted at the top of their lungs Go Hungarians, and sang the national anthem. . The unifying power of sport, nation and coat of arms is an admirable value.
– You must have looked at the incident several times: did the ball hit Agnes Studer, or did it actually hit the Czech player’s head in the quarter-finals?
– It’s not of practical importance anymore, we won fourth place, but if I have to go back to it: it’s clear we had the ball. I’m so glad I didn’t act like a fan in this situation, but I reacted quickly and asked for a challenge. Although we didn’t see the exact situation, it was the only chance to change the course of the game.
Did the team have enough mental strength to stand if this ominous clash ended in defeat?
– Perhaps only a soothsayer from Delphi could answer that, but I think, yes, this team could have stood. His tenacity is very high, and not just in the European Championships, he has proven it many times before, and that he reacts well to difficult situations.
– Many people have had problems, smaller or bigger, but the biggest hero is probably Bernadette Hattar, right?
We had twelve champions who did what the country asked. Everyone had minor or major injuries, but my compliments to Betty Hattar, her performance in preparation was very questionable, and if she said she couldn’t do it, I would have let her go without any ill feelings. He gritted his teeth, wanted to be there, was there, helped a lot, and what he did was phenomenal. The courage of the medical staff and the mental strength of the players is proven by the fact that Gauri Sicha and Ahu Nina were capable of playing, and it didn’t even occur to them that they should not be used if there was even the slightest chance for them to play.
– His wife and daughter watched several matches immediately, it seemed like they were breathing with you.
My family unit is great, and my wife plays the biggest role in that. I am so grateful to my loved ones for breathing with me and thinking with me. The fact that they are there in Ljubljana has been a huge help and a great experience for them too, they know exactly how important what happened to me, and they were able to empathize with what happened – I love them so much!
How long is your contract valid for? Do you know anything about the sequel?
– There was a meeting of the Board of Directors on Tuesday, and I discussed with the President and the Secretary-General, and we will talk about the coming period next week. My contract does not expire, it continues, and obviously in this case I would very much like my work to continue, and I hope there are no obstacles to that on either side.
Do you want to continue working with the same crew?
I am confident that this part of the negotiation process will also take place next week. I don’t want any changes. The staff has matured over the past six years, and its members roughly know each other’s ideas. It is very difficult to integrate someone into this system in such a way as to make it work well.
Is it possible to know exactly when the qualifying groups for the European Championship 2025 will be determined?
The draw will be on August 8th, then the first qualifying period in the second week of November, the team won’t meet until then, but I’m keeping an eye on the players more. There is no information yet about the draw for the Olympic qualifiers. Hungary wants to organize a tournament. This was a topic in the presidency. It would be a great support if we could perform at home, I would be very happy about that.
What are the chances of qualifying for the Olympics, in your opinion?
“Big and small, much depends on the lot.” Numerically, the chances are good, because 12 out of the 16 starting players will go in, but as far as I know the current world ranking affects the draw a lot, and we’re behind, so we’ll be drawn from the fourth cap. I think there will be a team that we have little to do with, a team that we are close to in terms of knowledge, and a team that we can realistically expect to beat.
We have a feeling that this generation, the current group, has not yet reached its peak. what do you think?
“But it would be nice if that was really the case!” It’s hard to judge, you have to be a fortune teller for that… It’s made up of many components, just like where a team ends up, the differences are so small, the nuances decide. With the best series, you can go a long way, with the worst, you can collect a big backlog. This generation from 1994-1995 to 2002-2003 is a good combination. He was born and trained under a lucky constellation, which gave him a great opportunity to achieve more good results. I don’t know yet if that means a medal, or an Olympic performance, or we see them becoming great players who show what they’re capable of by pushing their own limits.
