Axnér's first championship with Blågult was the European Championship 2020, which ended with an eleventh place. Since then, there have been several top placings, but still no medal. Instead, Axnér's national team is fighting against the curse of having finished fourth in the Olympic Games 2021, World Championship 2023 and Olympic Games 2024.
It is clear that the ambition from the association's side is that we should take medals. Then I think that we have established ourselves as a team that has a chance to take a medal. There are quite a few nations that are on a par with us who have not managed what we have managed, says Axnér.
The next chance to grab a medal is in this year's World Championship, which is played in Germany and the Netherlands, starting at the end of November.
I know that there is a great desire among the players to make a good championship. We see that there are opportunities for us to do so, says Axnér.
Axnér is, in parallel with the national team captain assignment, also coach for the Danish Champions League club Esbjerg.
I see many advantages to having dual roles. You have a finger on the pulse in a different way than you have if you only come to gatherings every third month and championships. Of course, it is a high workload, but I feel that I have received very good support from the association and the club, he says.
The women's national team gathers already next week to meet Hungary away from home twice, an unofficial international match is followed by an official one.
On October 16, the next home international match awaits, the European Championship qualifier against Ukraine in Alingsås.
