The Swiss handball team finishes the European Championship in 12th place. National coach Andy Schmid takes stock in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.
29.01.2026, 15:55
29.01.2026, 16:34
SDA
It is often said that the last impression counts. Does the 21:34 defeat against Sweden at the end diminish the balance somewhat?
I have to be honest: not really at all. Of course we were completely out of sorts in the second half, but we weren't without a chance in this game either. We led 12:8 in the 24th minute and put in a great performance. After that, we failed because of one man (Sweden's goalie Andreas Palicka made 20 saves - ed.). We had enough opportunities to keep this game open. Of course, the last impression always counts to a certain extent, but I try to assess the entire European Championship. And the positive feelings outweigh the negative ones, without glossing over anything.
What makes you particularly proud?
That we were at least on a par in every game, regardless of the opponent. Then there's the development of the team in these four weeks alone. Compared to last year (when we finished 11th at the World Cup), we've taken another significant step forward - and that's with players in the starting line-up who are still very young.
Where do you see the team's biggest step forward?
In our ability to play, in our creativity, in the variability of our game. We have caused problems for every opponent. We were the better team against Slovenia (35:38), Hungary (29:29) and Iceland (38:38). We used to be able to do that on individual days, but now no opponent underestimated us in the main round. Everyone knew what to expect and that they had to push themselves to the limit. This progress makes me proud. We are no longer a no-name.
Against Slovenia, the team let a nine-goal lead slip, and against Hungary, a seven-goal lead wasn't enough to win. How annoyed are you by these setbacks?
I'm someone who always wants the maximum, so of course it annoys me. But you can always turn it around either way. We had one foot in Zurich (we only made it to the main round thanks to a shoot-out) and one foot in Herning on the final weekend. That's the reality. As annoying as the dents are, it shows that we have the ability to pull out such leads against top teams. That gives me a lot of courage. The next step will be to have an anchor in moments like these. We need players who are our safety net. We don't have that yet - also because only a few have experienced these situations often.
What is the biggest thing you personally have learned from this tournament?
I take away the confirmation that we are capable of anything. At the same time, I realize that I probably need to exert even more influence and provide even more support in moments like this. I've only played 30 games as a coach, and when I see where we are already, that's great. However, we will only continue to be successful if the team structure works. For me, this is the breeding ground, as we don't have any outstanding individual players who always guarantee us a certain level of performance. And we need a lot of courage, also in coaching. We always want to act and not react, we always have to present our opponents with new challenges. We've taken a big step in that direction, but the journey isn't over yet. Patience is probably my biggest weakness, but it's something we simply need. There are no shortcuts to the top.
Association president Pascal Jenny dreams of a medal at the 2028 European Championships at home. That seems realistic given the development potential that still exists, doesn't it?
I always want the maximum. A few years ago, that would have been unthinkable, but now it's a thought that has crossed my mind several times. I'm convinced that a lot is possible with this team. The difficult thing is that I have very little influence on what happens now, it's up to the players themselves to develop. I enjoy my job as national team coach, also because there are phases in which I can escape this hamster wheel. At the same time, it's bitter to see that I'll only be in charge of the team for 21 days until the end of the year, especially when you consider the progress we've made in the last 28 days. I now have to hand over the reins - and I don't like doing that.
