After the prestige win against Hungary, the German handball players see themselves on the right track. But the return to the top of the world is not a sure-fire success.
Alfred Gislason said goodbye to his players with a good feeling. The prestige success at the end of the international double pack against Hungary allows the national handball coach to look to the future with optimism. “I’m very satisfied with the training week. All the players did very well,” said the Icelander after the 30:29 against the World Cup fifth in Kassel and added with a view to the important World Cup qualification: “We did well import.”
In the two duels against the Faroe Islands (April 13th and 16th), the selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) is the clear favorite, but Gislason is a warning after the first video analysis of the opponent: “It’s a dangerous team. It will be anything but a sure-fire success.” Therefore, you have to “go into the two encounters with concentration”. After all, it’s “about a lot”.
DHB team wants to go back to the top of the world
The return to the top of the world will not be a sure-fire success either. The first game against the Hungarians in Gummersbach (31:31) showed that. After the resignation of the world-class inner block with Hendrik Pekeler and Patrick Wiencek, “many steps still have to be taken in defense”, stated DHB sports director Axel Kromer.
In Kassel, the cover around captain Johannes Golla was much more aggressive and agile, but in the 60 minutes there were repeated phases of weakness and careless turnovers in attack. “Of course we have to play down the three-goal lead shortly before the end,” criticized Gislason.
But the DHB team even conceded the equalizer and only achieved victory in the last second with a throw from Golla from the center line into the empty goal. “In the end, Johannes saved us with a laser beam,” said backcourt player Julius Kühn.
Golla becomes the leader
After the many resignations, Golla is growing more and more into the role of the leading player. “We can take a lot from the two games. We have found a system that we are comfortable with and that allows us to work on a better level,” said Golla.
More staff are available again against the Faroe Islands. Already in the Rothenbach-Halle, Gislason decided that Sebastian Heymann, Djibril M’Bengue, Philipp Weber and Kai Häfner, who had been absent at short notice, would return. That made him feel good too.