“Thibaud Briet propels the French team to another level”: Valentin Porte's eye on the Blues at the Handball World Cup before the main round

Thibaud Briet est la révélation de l'équipe de France dans ce Mondial selon Valentin Porte. MAXPPP et FFHB – ICON SPORT

Former player of the French team with 198 selections, the captain of the MHB Valentin Porte is the main witness of Midi Libre for this World Handball Championship. The right back draws up an initial assessment after the main round during which the Nantais Thibaud Briet shone according to him.

What mark would you give to the Blues on this preliminary round ?

I'll give it a good 16, maybe 17. Honestly, the first two matches were simple, but we've already experienced this kind of match and the ingredients were there and well put. It held up well, it was coherent, it was a little fun, but not too much. Austria, first half, I found it really not bad, even if everything is not perfect. At the beginning, we still had a little trouble on the 7 against 6. In the second half, on the other hand, I didn't like it.

For what reasons ?

Because I watched the French team a bit again, which I don't really like, where they play very far from the goal, where there is very little preparation, they launch from afar, ball in hand. There is much less continuity, things that I had seen in previous matches. I have the impression that it was due to the fact that Austria was always a bit distant and so it was the fallback solution. But for me, going there with the ball in hand, individually, or with very little team play, is not the right solution. The proof is that there were not many shots on the wings in this match while it was more the case in the others, with more passes. That is the only black mark, and the only small criticism that I would give. As soon as we were 3-4 goals down, we took refuge in a system that is not the most coherent in relation to the players we have.

Read also: Handball World Cup: France team wins against Austria and finishes its preliminary round perfectly

How should we do it instead ?

There are so many dangers now in all positions, with great physical qualities, that playing with the ball in hand helps the defenses. They don't need to move and close everything down. Whereas if we put a little more speed into the ball, a little more fixation, like in the first half against Austria, there are spaces that open up. Be careful with that, because in the main round, there will be teams that play a little better, like Hungary who have a big defense.

From a defensive point of view, did you like it??

Defensively, I think it's very, very good. Obviously, everything is not perfect, sometimes there are little lapses in concentration but overall, it's really, very good. Karl does a monstrous job, maybe sometimes even too much, but he's everywhere, as I know him. A small downside also on the rotations. Defensively, it's a little less solid. It's a little more… Yesterday, we saw it, a little, yeah. A little more in the rotation, for the moment. But the defensive base is great, with a Thibaud Briet, who I put, clearly, the best French player, for me. He's the X factor.

Thibaud Briet is the one who impressed you the most ?

Yes because we didn't see him much in the French team and there he has an important role. And when he is there, in the game in movement, he is dangerous from everywhere, he unlocks a lot of situations. Nantes without Briet is not the same Nantes, well it's the same in the French team. At the start of the competition, he is really the player who takes the team to another level. In construction, in long-range shooting, in passing, in the duel, in defense, he is complete and he really brings real added value.

You expected it?

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Honestly, yes. When I see in Nantes, what he gives off and what he brings to the team… We could have said that it was going to be complicated because he was going to have responsibilities by being number 1 in the French team. But Thibaud, he has this quality of having a bit of carefreeness and of playing a World Championship match as he would play a match against a third division. He doesn't ask himself questions. He has the qualities. He has the talent. He just has to put the same ingredients in each time.

It's been a long time since France was this strong from the preliminary round, right?

Afterwards, it’s a world championship, eh. Of course, we’re playing Qatar, which is no longer the Qatar of yesteryear. And Kuwait, with all due respect to them, is not the best team in the world. Honestly, I didn’t expect much from this preliminary round. I expected what happened. Now, I’m going to focus more on the next round because there, we’re going to play three European teams (Hungary, Netherlands, North Macedonia). Of course, I think we’re favorites. But be careful, because it’s a style of play that we know with more talented players. After that we will really be able to draw up an interesting report.

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How do you see the rest of the competition ?

There are phases of play, offensively, that are very interesting. I really like it when it's fixed, when the passes come one after the other with a gap at the end. That's the game I like. And what's more, with the players we have, we can rout a lot of teams. So, I'm just saying, be careful in the matches that are coming up with teams that are a little better at not falling back into what I saw in the second half of Austria with a lot of balls in hand, a bit slower play, a bit more static and a bit far from the goal. There, we're really counting on more individual exploits. I think that collectively, we have the keys to really offer a very polished game and really worry a lot of teams

How are these few days between the preliminary round and the main round going?

Since they didn't have a training camp at the end of December, the preliminary round teams… These were matches to gauge each other, to continue working. Against Austria, we moved up a notch a little bit. The two days until the main round will be used to take care of minor injuries, but also a lot of communication between everyone, on the preparation for Tuesday's match and the results of the preliminary round.

What can you say about the next opponents?

Hungary, from what I saw while watching the matches, is the Hungary I know: it's strong, it's heavy, but it's not very fast. It won't be a surprise, we know very well what to expect, it doesn't worry me. Macedonia, I was pleasantly surprised by their match against Hungary which I followed because it was a very good match.

But they paid dearly against the Netherlands because they were a bit over-revving against Hungary. They are a team that you have to be wary of because there are a few young, slightly carefree players who have qualities and who you shouldn't let get their confidence because they are players who can score goals or break new ground. Their goalkeeper is the same. But they are still a young team and, if the French team is at their level, it shouldn't be a problem.

And the Netherlands are perhaps the team I know the least. I see them as a team that is rigorous with a well-established game plan. One of the best playmakers in the world. A team that knows itself well, that rotates well. So watch out for this team. Once again, we are the favorites. Physically, we are stronger. We have more weapons. But be careful to take this match well because they are capable of causing a lot of problems.

What do you think of the World Cup for the French MHB ?

Karl (Konan) was excellent in all his interventions, in what he gives off. Rémi (Desbonnet), it's very good to have made the saves that had to be made during the first two matches. But hey, once again, these weren't the most complicated shots and matches to manage. He hurt himself warming up against Austria so it's a bit annoying.

Read also: Charles Bolzinger: “All my thoughts go to Samir Bellahcene, he's become a friend, so it hurts to see a teammate get injured”

On the other hand, I'm very happy for Charles (Bolzinger). Charles, I see him every day, I don't find the Charles who was super fulfilled two years ago. Yesterday, I saw a Charles that I like with good attitudes, quite dominant in goal. I saw a good Charles that I had never seen in the French team. With a bit of aggression, good attitudes that make it happen, he may have passed a small milestone. He left his worries aside but he entered his competition well and as I told him, it's good for him because he will have a role to play at the end of the competition.