Is Germany creating a monster? Therefore, “Handball decade” is waiting

No medal, however loads of reward and a promising outlook: Germany completed the World Handball Championships in Poland and Sweden with a respectable fifth place, however there was no signal of relaxation.

“I might give the gamers at the very least a month off,” nationwide coach Alfred Gislason mentioned, however the DHB Cup quarter-finals are scheduled for the weekend earlier than the Bundesliga resumes on Thursday.

The subsequent main handball tournaments will likely be held one after the opposite. From June 20 to July 2, 2023, the subsequent main occasion would be the U21 World Cup in Germany and Greece.

“This match opens a decade of handball,” mentioned nationwide participant Paul Drucks, who acts as an envoy for the match with German courts in Berlin, Magdeburg and Hanover.

“Handball decade” is a time period that comes up repeatedly on the German facet. Because after the Junior World Championship, the senior nationwide workforce will host the European Championship at dwelling in January 2024. In 2025, the Women’s World Cup will likely be held in Germany and the Netherlands, and in 2027, the Men’s World Cup will likely be held in Germany.

Former DHB vice-president Bob Hanning commented: “The fats years of handball have solely simply begun.” image.

German expertise ought to begin in the summertime – and there is at all times motive to be assured.

For instance, the previous coach of the nationwide workforce, Martin Heuberger, was impressed by how his youth workforce carried out within the four-nation match initially of January.

43:22 in opposition to European champions Spain, 43:24 in opposition to European Championship runners-up Portugal and 35:23 in opposition to France – Germany confirmed spectacular outcomes forward of the match in opposition to the perfect European groups.

“What sort of handball monster is Germany creating there?” Unbelievable,” the Icelandic handball professional wrote on Twitter.

“They performed sensationally effectively,” Drucks mentioned SPORTS1: “This title could possibly be the purpose on the World Cup.”

And DHB captain Johannes Golla defined SPORTS1: “The U21 World Cup is a large occasion price selling. Children may also take the subsequent step there. Then I wish to know who will step as much as the senior workforce sooner or later.”

Bundesliga and the second division 1. Many gamers of Fuchse Berlin, who cooperate for VfL Potsdam, are thought-about promising, reminiscent of Tim Freihofer or Nils Lichtlein, the nephew of former nationwide participant Carsten Lichtlein.

Rhein-Neckar Leuven will carry high quality with them, with goalkeepers David Spatt and Mats Gruppe already having a style of the Bundesliga air. Renars Uschins (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf) is the captain and gained the U19 European Championship two years in the past.

One or the opposite younger skilled might play a position within the senior squad between January 10 and 28, 2024 – however nationwide coach Gislason has the foundations in place.

Especially because the return of Hendrik Pekeler is within the room and injured specialists like Timo Kastenin, Julius Kühn or Fabian Wiede is also choices. (Update: Are the Pecks Back? Answered by Gislason)

“This senior workforce, within the construction they’re in now, can nonetheless play collectively and develop for a number of years,” Golla mentioned.

What is maturity in German handball?

Fifth-placed DHB returned to the prolonged World Cup after a traditionally poor 2021 World Cup with a 28-24 win in opposition to Norway.

Based on this, “we are able to purpose for a medal or a semi-final on the European Championships at dwelling,” mentioned goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, who was voted into the All-Star workforce. SPORTS1: “We will certainly take away a lot of optimistic issues from EM at dwelling.”

Golla noticed comparable issues, saying it was a “nice sign” that he and his teammates had a probability to win each World Cup sport besides the quarter-final in opposition to France.

“We are on a good path. But there is nonetheless a lot to do,” mentioned Golla, who carried out effectively on the World Championship. “I additionally contemplate it my obligation to develop the workforce along with the teaching workers to play for medals sooner or later.”

Flensburg, goalkeeper Wolff as an skilled prop and 22-year-olds Julian Koster and Juri Knorr are anticipated to be key figures within the coming 12 months.

More importantly, Knorr, from Rhine-Neckar Loewen, confirmed what he can do as a key playmaker in his first match.

The 22-year-old soccer participant was the highest scorer, gained the title of the perfect younger participant, and likewise made the All-Star workforce. “Yuri has proven 100% that he can carry out at this degree,” Golla mentioned.

Gislason was very proud general, evident after the bitter quarter-final in opposition to France.

“We have made nice progress in some circumstances. The boys realized a lot. Loads of guys got here as proficient gamers and got here again as acknowledged, good gamers,” mentioned the skilled Icelander, whose contract will likely be prolonged. “I’m very assured. We can take some actually good issues with us.”

Can spark a new increase within the “handball decade”? As Wolf (“one, two, three, possibly 4 locations”) and Golla additionally indicated, the workforce has large ambitions from a sporting standpoint.

DHB President Andreas Michelmann insisted: “The purpose at dwelling EC needs to be to take the subsequent step and end within the prime 4.” Sports director Axel Cromer added. : “Of course everybody on the final weekend needs to make it to the finals.”

The newest medals have been on the 2016 European Winter Championships in Poland and bronze on the Olympics in Rio the identical 12 months.

Sports success is one factor, public notion, fan curiosity and public picture are one other.

The first sound barrier has already been damaged: 40,000 tickets have been bought for the opening sport, which will likely be performed in Fortuna Dusseldorf’s soccer stadium Mercure Spillarena.

The world document should fall – the earlier greatest handball attendance was in Frankfurt in 2014 (44,189 followers in opposition to HSV Hamburg in Rhein-Neckar Leuven).

“I’m actually comfortable. It’s one thing I’ve by no means skilled earlier than,” Gislason mentioned ZDF.

Of course, monetary components additionally play a position: in keeping with the DHB, it must promote round 70-75 per cent of tickets across the clock to interrupt even. Tools: Approving video games with out Germany’s participation must also be OK.

It is additionally essential to arrange a match that avoids typically chaotic scheduling, as in Poland and Sweden.

The Danish semi-final was not performed on the identical venue as the ultimate, and till the German quarter-final, it was nonetheless unclear the place the potential semi-final could be performed the next day.

“It should not occur once more,” mentioned DHB chief government Mark Schober, sporting director Axel Cromer instructed the specialist journal handball week even the phrase “catastrophe” within the mouth: “What is required of some groups and international locations when it comes to journey on this World Cup, for instance, is not appropriate for prime athletes. The scenario after the quarter-finals was bleak and troublesome to foretell.” (Update: ‘Disastrous’ is a easy textual content concerning the chaos of the World Cup)

DHB president Michelman mentioned: “It’s good to have a degree taking part in discipline for everybody. Therefore, our conclusion: the final weekend in Poland and Sweden shouldn’t be shared.”

Therefore, Golla mentioned: “We are wanting ahead to the EC, which can solely be held in Germany.”

So does the handball decade actually produce a handball monster?