by Simon Daish
With the continent’s strongest youth players making the trip to Portugal, the competition presents a great platform for the next generation of European table tennis stars to impress on the big stage.
Switzerland is sending some of its brightest young competitors, who are hoping to see a benefit further down the line through major tournament experience, and coach Samir Mulabdic is confident that the event will help to develop his players.
“As every year, it is a challenge for the mentors to motivate the players, to stay with them for several days. It is July, it is warm, you get tired quickly. I expect maximum commitment and discipline, so it is possible to experience the European Youth Championships through the full deployment as the highlight of a long season. If a few good results come out, the more beautiful”, Samir Mulabdic.
However, while the aim for all of the teams is to enjoy a strong outing at the tournament, Samir Mulabdic doesn’t want the Swiss squad to feel overly pressurised in Guimarães.
“We do not want to put unnecessary pressure on the players. We will discuss the action and behavioural goals for the EYC and we hope that the results will be good. But this is not a must!”, Samir Mulabdic.
The Stag 2017 European Youth Championships promises to provide plenty of exhilarating action across the entirety of the 10 day event featuring battles from singles, doubles and team competitions.
Samir Mulabdic believes that Switzerland’s preparation for the tournament has proceeded smoothly, but is aware of the difficulties that lie ahead for all of the players heading to Portugal.
“We had two training camps to prepare just before the EYC. One was a little while ago, the other was last weekend. We hope that everyone is ready for the tournament. The EYC is difficult for the players considering what they are forced to deal with within a short time whether it is victory or defeat. Then you must analyse, process, and then prepare for the next match”, Samir Mulabdic.
Source: Swiss Table Tennis
