The German handball players are looking forward to the draw of the preliminary round groups for their home European Championship on Wednesday (May 10th, 2023, from 5.45 p.m. in the live stream on sportschau.de). However, the anticipation is accompanied by criticism of national coach Alfred Gislason.
There is a rumbling, but Alfred Gislason gives no sign. The national handball coach is looking forward to the draw for the European Championships in Düsseldorf: “It’s a signal for everyone that things are really getting started – although we’ve been on the road to the European Championship for a long time.”
The Icelander will also have noticed the criticism of him and his team after the last performances, but Gislason, 63, now only counts the tournament in Germany in eight months. At least that’s what he says. “I’m curious to see which opponents we will face”said Gislason: “A draw like this is always an exciting moment.”
Spain or France – who will be Germany’s preliminary round opponent?
When drawing the six preliminary round groups, it is particularly interesting to see whether the team around captain Johannes Golla will meet Olympic champions France or three-time European champions Spain in the first phase of the tournament. That much is already certain.
The question of who the DHB selection will face in the “world record opening game” in front of more than 50,000 spectators in the Düsseldorf football stadium also promises to be exciting. There he was, said Gislason, “No special request. It comes as it comes. I’m just happy that we can experience a very special game on January 10th.”
Possible EM opponents for Germany, which is in pot 2 and is set for preliminary round group A in Düsseldorf and Berlin, are Switzerland, Romania, Montenegro, Greece, Georgia and the Faroe Islands.
Reports of criticism of national coach Gislason
In the run-up to the draw, a “Spiegel” report with the title provided “This is how the Gislason question splits German handball” for excitement. According to the report, the league is forming behind the scenes “a front” against Gislason as national coach.
Karsten Günther, managing director of SC DHfK Leipzig and HBL board member, recently called for the national coach to be replaced after the significant test match bankruptcies against Denmark. Gislason’s personnel split according to “Spiegel” “German handball in two camps”.
League boss Bohmann: “By no means a divided league”
The German Handball Federation (DHB) did not want to comment on the report on request. League managing director Frank Bohmann expressed himself cautiously. The selection of the national coach “no matter” the HBL or its manager. Man be “on all topics in exchange with the DHB and we would do well to continue this dialogue and not to discuss or speculate half-baked solutions about the ‘mirror'”.
“Naturally”so Bohmann, there is in the league “a dissatisfaction because of the matches against Denmark and Sweden, which showed a class difference”. We exchanged ideas about this. But there is “Not a divided league by any means. We will continue to address this to the DHB and are in close contact on this. As far as I know, replacing Alfred Gislasson before the end of the contract is not an option.”