interview
Martin Heuberger, U21 national coach of the German handball players, is optimistic about the future of German handball. He still has a lot of confidence in Alfred Gislason’s team at the European Championship tournament.
U21 national coach Martin Heuberger led the German junior handball players to the World Cup title last summer. The senior national team now also benefits from this. In Justus Fischer, Renars Uscins, David Späth and Nils Lichtlein, national coach Alfred Gislason has four of the successful youngsters in his European Championship squad.
In the Sportschau interview, Martin Heuberger, national coach himself from 2011 to 2014, talks about the young German handball players, the prospects of German handball and the final chances at this home European Championship.
Mr. Heuberger, four of your players, with whom you won the U21 World Championship last summer, are now playing in the men’s European Championship. How proud does that make you?
Martin Heuberger: I am of course very pleased that Alfred Gislason has nominated these four players for the European Championships. The boys also deserve it through their performances at the Junior World Cup and also in the Bundesliga.
Martin Heuberger as coach of the German U21 national team
Which of the youngsters has done best so far?
Heuberger: All four have only had short assignments so far. But everyone did their best. Julius Fischer certainly had the most playing time in both defense and attack. But David Späth and Renars Uscins were also there from time to time. Nils Lichtlein probably had the fewest appearances, but I hope that Alfred will trust him in the remaining games.
In the last successful game against the Hungarians, national coach Alfred Gislason mostly left the young players on the bench. Is more maturity required as the tournament goes on?
Heuberger: It is clear that the young players still need time. It is her first major men’s European Championship. It’s time to take a look. It’s a huge deal to even be there. I can understand Alfred that he has even more trust in the established, older players who have formed the framework of the national team for years.
Köster? It doesn’t get any better
Julian Köster and Juri Knorr are still young, but are already supporting pillars. What can they both do better?
Heuberger: If you’ve seen Julian Köster’s game, especially against Hungary, I don’t think it could be any better. The boy performed great. He scored eight goals from the second series of nine attempts – one more beautiful than the other, with variations of the shot, in one-on-one situations, with jump shots from the long-range throw zone. Everything was there. Above all, I was pleased that he, centrally in the inner block, with Johannes Golla, provided the defensive bulwark that hardly any other nation has.
Juri Knorr’s tournament has had a lot of good scenes so far. Before the Austria game he was a bit ill, which I think very few people knew. He didn’t play so well there. He is also still a young player who is under a lot of pressure. To perform like that at such a young age – I take my hat off to him. The guys are doing really great.
Do Juri Knorr and Julian Köster have what it takes to become the big faces of German handball over the next few years?
Heuberger: Not just to become. I think they already are, together with Andreas Wolff and Johannes Golla. You are already among the managers. This will continue to improve in the coming years.
Germany’s Julian Köster tries to assert himself against the Hungarian defense.
“We don’t need to worry”
What does it look like for the younger generations in German handball?
Heuberger: We certainly had an exceptional year with the 2002/2003 vintages, which is why they became European youth champions and world champions last year. Nevertheless, a lot has happened in the Bundesliga, especially in the training area thanks to the many performance centers where work is performance-oriented. There are still a few construction sites. Overall, we don’t need to worry so much in German handball.
On the other hand, the competition never sleeps. They are just as good when I see Denmark, for example. They could field two teams at this European Championship and both would end up in the top 5 or top 8.
Final? – “On a good day everything is possible”
Has the German team shortened the gap to the world leaders?
Heuberger: The gap to the world leaders has certainly narrowed with this European Championship. The Danes, French and Swedes are certainly better staffed in terms of breadth, also in terms of experience. But I hope that we can attack at the front in the near future.
Will the German team make it to the final?
Heuberger: I’ve been to Cologne a few times now. The tree burns when the Germans play. Finally, the spark spread to the fans. This is a big plus for our team. If the Germans reach the semi-finals, we will no longer be favorites. We can play there without any worries. And on a good day anything is possible.