A bang in the handball Bundesliga: On Monday, SG Flensburg-Handewitt fired coach Maik Machulla. According to Danish TV expert Bent Nyegaard, an “unavoidable” step.
The past few weeks could hardly have gone worse for SG Flensburg-Handewitt. The North Germans had initially failed in the semi-finals of the DHB Cup at the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. A bitter defeat in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the European League against underdog BM Granollers followed, as a result of which the HBL club missed out on the Final Four, which is being played at home in Flensburg.
The Flensburg descent reached its lowest point with the derby swatter against THW Kiel, the SG had to admit defeat at 19:29.
Just one day later, Flensburg announced the departure of coach Maik Machulla. According to the club, the dismissal followed “after an intensive analysis of the sporting development of the team, especially taking into account the last games and the goals set”.
For the Danish handball expert Bent Nyegaard, the separation from Machulla was without alternative for the Flensburg bosses.
“The dismissal makes sense when a team fails so much in three crucial games,” he analyzed on “TV2”.
After all, you have not only lost the chances of winning a title but also possibly qualifying for the Champions League.
“They have the big task of being represented in European handball next season. They will probably make it, but it is the Champions League that is the goal. And there they almost played themselves out,” emphasized Nyegaard.
Rosy future for SG Flensburg-Handewitt?
In the Bundesliga, Flensburg is only fourth, four points behind leader THW Kiel.
But Nyegaard is not concerned about the future of the SG. “They have great ambitions and have defined themselves as a team that is playing for the championship. They will continue to do so in the future,” said the 71-year-old confidently.
With Blaž Blagotinšek, Kay Smits, Simon Pytlick and Lukas Lindhard Jørgensen, Flensburg has already signed four top-class newcomers for the coming season.