By Ulrike Krieger
His Potsdam boys (average age 23 years) are doing like their great Füchse role models, rushing through the 2nd league with incredible results. On Sunday evening, the young players of VfL Potsdam, coached by Füchse managing director Bob Hanning (55), defeated league leaders Bietigheim-Bissingen 31:27 (16:16).
Potsdam thus consolidated third place and is now only one point behind leader Bietigheim. Hanning happy: “The boys did a great job. The team was extremely focused and were always ready. We finished it with great energy and willingness. It was just fun to coach this team.”
Unusually, Hanning gave his best player Max Beneke (20) a leave of absence immediately after the victory.
Hanning explains and is almost bursting with pride: “I’m sending Max on vacation for a week now, he can go on vacation straight away. What the boy has achieved in the last few weeks is great. When other teams have English weeks, some of our players had double English weeks through their involvement with the Füchse professionals. A huge compliment to Max for pulling this off like he did.”
The special holiday for Beneke (currently the top scorer in the second division with 81 goals) was made possible by the international break in the middle of the season. But even after that, Beneke can continue to vacation.
Hanning: “We take him out completely and want to consciously control his high load. He’s not going to the Super Globe in Saudi Arabia on November 7th, as was initially thought and planned, he’s staying here and recovering, but my Potsdam playmaker Moritz Sauter is going on the trip with him.