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 no less than 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 probably be held one after the opposite. From June 20 to July 2, 2023, the following 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 time and again on the German facet. Because after the Junior World Championship, the senior nationwide crew will host the European Championship at house in January 2024. In 2025, the Women’s World Cup will probably be held in Germany and the Netherlands, and in 2027, the Men’s World Cup will probably 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 purpose to be assured.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rhein-Neckar Leuven will deliver 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 for the reason that return of Hendrik Pekeler is within the room and injured specialists like Timo Kastenin, Julius Kühn or Fabian Wiede may be choices. (Update: Are the Pecks Back? Answered by Gislason)

“This senior crew, 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 towards Norway.

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

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

“We are on a good path. But there is nonetheless a lot to do,” mentioned Golla, who carried out properly on the World Championship. “I additionally contemplate it my responsibility to develop the crew along with the teaching employees 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 yr.

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 in addition made the All-Star crew. “Yuri has proven one hundred pc that he can carry out at this degree,” Golla mentioned.

Gislason was very proud general, evident after the bitter quarter-final towards France.

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

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

DHB President Andreas Michelmann insisted: “The objective at house EC ought to be to take the following step and end within the high 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 yr.

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 recreation, which will probably be performed in Fortuna Dusseldorf’s soccer stadium Mercure Spillarena.

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

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

Of course, monetary components additionally play a position: in accordance 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 also needs to be OK.

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

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

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

DHB president Michelman mentioned: “It’s good to have a degree enjoying 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?