Germany’s national handball team faces the next two endurance tests in Sweden (Thursday, 6.35 p.m., live stream on sportschau.de) and against Spain (Sunday, 3.35 p.m., live on the first and in the live stream). In the run-up, Sportschau handball expert Dominik Klein talks about pressure, the newcomers and the absence of Pekeler and Wiede.
sports show: The home EM in January 2024 is the big goal on the horizon. How important are the upcoming friendlies against Sweden and Spain?
Dominik Klein: As national coach, Alfred Gislason doesn’t have much time to form his team. In such games against higher-class opponents, he has a chance to sort out the formation.
It is considered helpful to be able to measure yourself against strong opponents in preparation. However, Germany has lost everything in the Euro Cup so far, most recently twice against Denmark even clearly. How could too many defeats be counterproductive for self-confidence?
Small: Sure, as an athlete you always want to win and get a good feeling. But games like this against good opponents help you get used to the game and improve, especially in defence, where Germany doesn’t yet have the necessary strength and stability. The attacking game with the thinker and driver Juri Knorr still has to be refined. When you have new people next to you to the left and right, that also takes time. That is why the result is not always the decisive factor in the end. It is more important that Alfred can put together a team that can perform at the European Championship.
However, the DHB has increased the pressure on results in the person of sports director Axel Kromer. The team should be able to keep up against Sweden and Spain for a long time and, if possible, even try to win. Do statements like this help in this situation?
Small: How much pressure is on the team is ultimately in Alfred’s hands. He has the necessary aura and acceptance among the players. I assume that he pays more attention to the basic mechanics than to the result. Of course they are all top athletes who want to win. But I know it myself from when I was a player: You’re in a Bundesliga season that’s tougher, more intense and tighter than ever. You can also see that some players from the top teams are injured and didn’t even come.
Importing for the EM as the main goal – isn’t it counterproductive then, right away invite five newcomers to the course and the two friendlies?
Small: You have to see which position is readjusted and tried again. Two very young left-handers, Max Beneke and Renars Uscins, can be found in the backcourt on the right. They can be an alternative to the experienced Kai Häfner and Christoph Steinert. Perspectively, there is an opportunity to maybe discover a newcomer, as Julian Köster did on the left back position. The nominations for the other positions should also be a reward for the fact that young players consistently perform well in the Bundesliga.
For the defense it plays a big role, whether Hendrik Pekeler is ready for a comeback in the national team. But he takes his time with the decision. To what extent does this open question prevent the national coach from forming the defense?
Small: I know the two are in exchange and nothing has been decided at this point. They talk to each other about their physical condition. There’s still a long way to go before the EM. Taking a Hendrik Pekeler into the team at short notice, where he knows all the processes, can only be an enrichment. Hendrik’s type is someone who can quickly help his team and the inner block. So I don’t think there will be any negative impact if there is no decision yet.
Another long-standing national player is also missing from the squad: Fabian Wiede. Despite good performances at Füchsen Berlin, he has not been nominated after he recently missed the World Cup due to a planned jaw operation. How likely is a return?
Small: The current nominations rather indicate that the national coach is paving the way for the youngsters to jump in as a successor in the backcourt right position.
How far away is the German team from the world’s best?
Small: We can take fifth place at the world championship as a benchmark. It therefore seems quite possible to have a look at the semi-finals at the European Championships in front of a home crowd with a tournament flow.