Joan Cañellas (Santa María de Palautordera, Barcelona, 34 years previous) exhausts his final cartridges with the nationwide crew. After the Video games, the good obsession of that wardrobe will determine whether or not to depart the Hispanics, like Raúl Entrerríos and Viran Morros, or proceed slightly longer. The trajectory of the left again of the Hungarian Choose Szeged symbolizes the golden age of Spanish handball (winner of six medals, together with one world gold and two Europeans) and the miseries of his League, from which he needed to “get out of hand” after the sinking of a decade in the past. Of all this and the World Cup that awaits in Egypt the group directed by Jordi Ribera expands sincerely on this phone speak.
Query. They’ve solely performed two video games collectively after profitable the European one a 12 months in the past. With what sensations do they arrive?
Reply. Simply sensations, the 12 months has been bizarre as hell. We’ve got been capable of meet little and now we had two preparation matches towards Croatia and just one may very well be held because of the storm. It is all unknown. For instance, in December I solely performed two video games with my crew and one other with the nationwide crew, which is little or no. Even the coaching we have had in Guadalajara [quedaron retenidos por la nieve desde el pasado sábado] They aren’t of the very best quality as a result of within the chilly there is a danger of damage.
P. To what extent does being a veteran group affect this state of affairs?
R. We’ll see. If we win, we’ll say we know what this is about. And, if we lose, we have missed filming. If we have discovered one thing, it is that the circumstances should have an effect on you as little as potential.
P. Has this crew reached some extent the place not hanging a medal is a disappointment?
R. No. The frustration can be not preventing for the semifinals. What is clear is that, when the successes to which individuals have turn into accustomed are usually not achieved, will probably be mentioned that we are older, that we don’t serve and that we should retire. We dwell with it, however fortunately issues have turned out properly in recent times.
P. Are you involved about these potential feedback?
R. No. In any other case, we would have already stop. When we don’t attain the semifinals, you get hit. It is the historical past of Spain, it occurs in all sports. And it appears that within the minority much more. For 4 who comply with us, many are usually not very constructive. In the event you ask ten individuals, they might all make a special record and have their options. However, in the long run, many give their opinion from ignorance and stay so large. There are different international locations with a much less aggressive tradition.
“For 4 individuals who comply with us, many are usually not very constructive”
P. He has performed in Germany, Macedonia and now Hungary. Is it totally different there?
R. In Germany, sure. They’re extra with the crew, you don’t hear whistles. It might even be that in Spain issues come to you extra via the networks and the media. And in different international locations you see them later, you don’t learn the newspapers or, because you don’t know the language, you don’t discover out something. Macedonia is like Spain and Hungary, extra like Germany.
P. The reality is that this Spain is a profitable crew.
R. We combat it to the top, we go little by little and we have high quality. It is true that we are able to managing moments of pressure. I don’t know if there is a crew within the final ten years that has been in additional semi-finals. I doubt it. Within the final two World Cups we haven’t arrived, however within the earlier ones. There is no different crew, I repeat, that has performed so many semifinals currently. And people who have been have rather more recognition from society and the media than we do.
P. Do you lack recognition?
R. It is apparent. Typically individuals converse with little respect. I’m not referring to one thing particular person, however collective, to sport. In Spain handball is not revered because it ought to. If there had been extra recognition, we can be speaking about one other League.
P. A couple of days in the past, Asobal requested for a monetary rescue. What do you assume if you learn this?
R. I’ve been away for a few years. I watch the information, however I’m not on the entrance line. There is no funding or a lot will. The financial scenario of the nation and the world doesn’t assist both. I’m not going to speak in regards to the authorities, which has many issues, though there are international locations that are doing higher.
P. When the authorities obtain you after a medal, have you ever ever heard this criticism?
R. Receptions are so managed and quick that you don’t have time to talk. And, in case you do, you need to be politically appropriate. We athletes are usually not accountable for saying this stuff to establishments.
P. Is the nationwide crew the one one pulling the Spanish handball bandwagon?
R. Clearly. It is not ideally suited that there is solely that, however, at the very least, we have it. It is superb to hook individuals for per week or two to tv, or a weekend with a semifinals, however behind there is plenty of work from golf equipment and federations.
P. So all of the tears are justified.
R. Individuals will assume that we are all the time asking. Nonetheless, it is unhappy that many of the gamers have needed to exit of their means after having the very best league on the earth. Now he is extra beginner than skilled and doesn’t have the curiosity of society.
“I wish to say that the veterans might be missed, however hopefully not due to the outcomes”
P. What is your strategy to the longer term with the nationwide crew? A few of her teammates will go away her after the Video games.
R. Final 12 months I assumed that after Tokyo I may play a 12 months or two extra. However we’ll see how the bodily is and it can even be essential to proceed competing to the fullest on a day-to-day foundation. The very first thing might be to determine my future at membership degree. This summer time I additionally had an operation and my daughters are more and more conscious that I’m leaving. For this World Cup it is 4 weeks away from house. That weighs. When your daughter tells you she desires you to go and there are nonetheless three weeks to go, it is very onerous. So till the Video games, butt. Then will probably be seen.
P. Will veterans be missed?
R. We’ll see. I wish to say sure, however hopefully not due to the outcomes.
P. Lacking relay?
R. Perhaps they are going to want a number of years to be there once more. It might be regular as a result of they don’t have that expertise. I keep in mind that in my first 12 months we completed thirteenth, it was a catastrophe. And from there up. In fact, the present goalkeepers [Pérez de Vargas y Corrales], that are crucial, they’ve an extended option to go.
P. Former participant and coach David Davis, from Santa María de Palautordera such as you, says that he prefers gamers who’re married and have kids. It’s your scenario. How do you see it?
R. You focus extra on sports, you make a house life. Much less and much less younger individuals aged 20-22 are reaching the highest. And the identical is why, as a result of they’re pondering extra about going out. Right now they don’t have that motivation to eat the world that different generations had.
P. Do you discover that distinction in a wardrobe?
R. I see it in younger individuals, usually. It offers them all the things extra equal. There is plenty of conformity. Individuals have been given all the things and don’t worth what they’ve. The youth, in all fields, have settled down. And most of the younger individuals who come are, partly, as a result of they aren’t like that and, actually, they’ve earned it. However, usually, rather more will be demanded of them. Handball has reached some extent the place you need to be rather more skilled. Certainly, after I was 20 years previous, that level of professionalism was not mandatory. Simply being younger was sufficient. Now you need to get up.
“I see younger individuals in life usually as conformists, properly off”
P. How do you see the resignations of gamers to this World Cup?
R. That query is troublesome. Many certainly have determined influenced by their membership. In case your crew, the one that pays you, invitations you to not go, you need to take heed to him. It might even be unhealthy for many who mentioned no to the World Cup to go to the Video games later. I’m afraid they won’t miss Tokyo.
P. Has it ever crossed your thoughts to not go to Egypt?
R. No. Within the membership we have had many circumstances of covid, and I’ve not been amongst them. Fortunately, none have been actually unhealthy. And that makes us respect the virus, however we are usually not so afraid of it.
P. He studied Pharmacy and belongs to a household of pharmacists. Does this offer you one other view of the pandemic?
R. What impacts essentially the most are private experiences. In my household there have been no positives and in my pals, hardly. It has additionally helped me that my spouse works on the college finding out the virus and with the vaccination marketing campaign. What has affected me essentially the most is the space with the household. It has crossed my thoughts that, if one thing occurred to an individual in my household, I nonetheless didn’t have time to catch a aircraft or, even when it did arrive, I couldn’t even see it. The space for that is very unhealthy.
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