MONDEVILLE (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Herve Coudray is just weeks away from leading Mali at the FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

The USO Mondeville coach knows his team will be among the underdogs in the 16-team event with Group C games coming up in Brno against Brazil, Spain and Korea.

Yet he looks at the forthcoming tournament as a huge opportunity for the African country to take a step forward in the international game.

Mali began their preparations August 9 in France and were in the country for two weeks.

They travelled to Spain on August 23 and remain there until August 29 before returning to France to face Senegal, Ivory Coast and the French in a warm-up tournament.

Mali will also play Brazil and professional teams in France before finishing with a friendly against Japan in the Czech Republic.

Coudray, a Frenchman, spoke to Jeff Taylor about the chance to lead Mali.

Herve, did you have to think long and hard about taking the Mali job?

Herve Coudray: “I said yes immediately. It’s really a great experience for a coach to work at a World Championship first and then to be at an Afrobasket next season, especially when this African Championship is in Mali. That’s very interesting for a coach.

And how did this come about?

Herve Coudray: “I coached Hamchetou Maiga (of Mali) for one season in Mondeville and I cannot imagine that that is not the idea why I am not the coach of the Mali national team. The Mali sports federation and sports ministry asked her what she thought about a new coach and she gave my name and that’s why I came into the job.”

There were reports claiming that Hamchetou had retired from the national team. They aren’t true, though, are they?

Herve Coudray: “Hamchetou Maiga will play, despite reports to the contrary. She will play at the World Championship for sure. No, it’s not true that she retired from the national team. I read that, too. That wasn’t her voice, but a journalist that wrote that. I spoke to Hamchetou and she said for sure she will play. She is a great person. We’ve had a good relationship since the season I coached her in France.”

What are your impressions of the team?

Herve Coudray: “I have seen all of the games from the Olympics, all of the games from the Afrobasket in Madagascar. And I saw many players play in Europe. And, I made a camp with players who play in Africa in May for 10 days. I made plans to start a camp in France on August 9. We know that for the African team at the World Championship, it’s going to be very difficult. Our goal is to win a game and to work for the next season in Afrobasket 2011 because we have this championship to not only play in the Final, but to win the Final and to reach the Olympic Games in London.”

What are the players like? How would you compare it to coaching in France at USO Mondeville?

Herve Coudray: “The Mali team is very athletic. I have seen many games and for sure, we are very, very athletic. We need, I need to find a style which matches with this style of player. We have very tall players inside but not very strong. But they jump and run very fast. We need to find a style that is different to Mondeville. At Mondeville, we have good shooters, good three-pointer shooters, and that is not the same thing in African teams.”

So Mali, presumably, is trying to become a great defensive team?

Herve Coudray: “We have to play very hard on defense and score a lot on fast breaks.”

Brazil and Spain will be expected to beat you by a big margin, and Korea are also a good team. If you don’t win a game, does that affect the psychology of the players or will they be able to learn from the experience regardless?

Herve Coudray: “Every time you play at a World Championship, it’s a good experience, for a coach, players. We are coming to the World Championship to prepare for the next season. At the World Championship, we will use young players. For me, it’s very interesting to play at this event to get ready for the next season. For sure, Brazil, Spain and Korea are good teams. We are athletic and we’ll work as well as we can with this team.”

During the 2008 Olympics, we learned that Mali has to overcome a lot just to play the game in their own country because of the lack of facilities.

Herve Coudray: “I visited Mali May 20-30 and had the camp in Bamako and the two new gyms will be in Bamako. I know that there will be two new gyms for the Afrobasket that is staged in Mali.”

This is one reason why you have had a camp in France?

Herve Coudray: “The African camp that we had in Mali was very different from what we have in Europe. In France, we will have good gyms, good balls. When I went to Mali, it was 45 degrees (Celsius) so it’s not easy to practice twice a day with this weather, especially with the gym. It’s not very nice, it’s old. But Mali players play with a big heart - they love the jersey, the national team, and they give everything they can to the national team. They play like that every time.”

The U17 FIBA World Championship for Women was in France and Mali had a team. Did you work with them?

Herve Coudray: “I was with the U17 Mali national team for two weeks since they were in France. They are not good, but they learn very quick. My ideas are the same with the senior national team. We can work and learn a lot during the preparations. I know this team wants to learn and do well.”

FIBA