Three wins in as many FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga games and qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage: The She-Wolves have made a fine start to the 2021/22 season and head coach Tommy Stroot is satisfied with his first few months in the dugout, as he reveals here…
Tommy Stroot, before the season started you spoke a lot about stages. You’ve cleared the first one with three Bundesliga wins and qualification for the Champions League. How do you assess your start?
Tommy Stroot: “We’ve met all our secondary goals. To achieve our short-term sporting objectives, like getting to the Champions League group stage, we temporarily put our technical development on the back burner. The hard work early on, when we had midweek matches, was a challenge that we managed to overcome without any injuries and successfully in terms of results. In the next stage, we’ll focus on improving in our play and stabilising our game.”
How did those intensive weeks affect the inner workings of the team at the beginning?
Stroot: “Team building, structures and hierarchies were things we worked hard on from day one, but we’re still making progress in that regard and stimulating development. The dramatic experience in Bordeaux was a test of mentality which we mastered, and that brought us together as a unit. That was just as important for the cooperation among the coaching staff as it was for the girls themselves. I think everyone is enjoying work and training at the moment. That should always be the foundation.”
There are currently 12 She-Wolves on international duty. How are you communicating with the players?
Stroot: “The entire coaching staff are obviously following the games as well as they possibly can. We keep in touch with the girls in various ways in between, so we’re able to keep a good eye on their condition. That helps us switch our focus back on our own objectives as soon as they return. While they’re away they should focus on their national team. That’s where we take a back seat.”
