Today the Spanish basketball team is setting out on its bid for success at another major competition. EuroBasket 2017 is starting after a great run from our women players: first in European Championship in 2013, silver at the 2014 World Cup, third at the last European Championship and then the Olympic silver. According to the captain, Laia Palau, in this interview she held with us just hours before debuting against Hungary, they will not let their previous good results stand in the way of their mental preparation. She has said she will retire soon but is not ruling out taking part at the forthcoming World Cup, which will be held in Spain.
Laia, here you are again at a major championship, having spoilt us with success over the years. Do you feel a lot of pressure given the good results at the last major competitions?
I wouldn’t call it pressure. We are the first to establish a high level of commitment and responsibility in everything, not because of what we have achieved, which is not going to help us at all now, but rather because of a commitment to ourselves and to the team. We are always demanding improvement but not to feel more anxiety or pressure.
The first match is always important and special. You need to start the tournament on the right foot …
Definitely. Besides, it’s the only match that matters to us right now. Thinking on a day-to-day basis has worked well for us. Now, we are facing Hungary and it is important to start EuroBasket with the right feeling. We have prepared properly and want to start well.
It might be a cliché but it is true that this team gets on like a large family. That is not just a coincidence in Spain’s national teams. Do you think that this capacity to function as a group is one of the pillars of your success and that of other Spanish teams?
Of course. Bear in mind that we are gathered together for over forty days each summer. The dynamics matter a lot and lots of things are clearly required to achieve great things: quality, luck, work, etc. but the family we form with all the players and the coaching staff is certainly crucial.
We know you are coaching too. Does reaching this point in major tournaments start with strong and well-organised grassroots sport?
Every “age” in a sport is important. If there are no fans, then nobody plays and it’s very improbable that good players will emerge. If there are benchmarks, good examples, it’s more likely that children will get enthusiastic about playing a sport. There then has to be a good structure to help them. If none of us had come across an important coach who was good and who taught us … then maybe we would not have got to the place we have. It’s like that at every level. Clubs, regional federations and then the FEB … are essential.
Which rivals have caught your eye? Which teams are currently the strongest?
Gosh. First of all we’re concentrating on Hungary. We are a team that concentrates fully on the day in hand and perhaps, at a stretch, on the next. We don’t look beyond that. Perhaps there are people who don’t understand or share that … but it’s always worked very well for us. What is for certain is that it’s definitely going to be the hardest EuroBasket of recent times and a championship even more complicated than a World Cup or Olympics. The average standard is higher and there are six or seven teams that will be fighting to win.
You announced your retirement after this European championship. Is it true we won’t see you at the World Cup in Spain next year?
Each step at a time. I’m really enthusiastic about this EuroBasket in a country where I have been playing for the last four years and then I’ll go to Australia, which I also really want to do.
Thanks Laia. And good luck in the first match and in the tournament.
