The smile is back among Germany’s best hockey players. The mood could hardly be better. There are many reasons for this: there is the anticipation of the home games in the per league in Düsseldorf – for the first time in three years, the team is back in Germany.
In addition, the disappointment about the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games last summer seems to have been forgotten. And things are more relaxed under the new national coach Valentin Altenburg. “A lot has changed: we are all more relaxed and much more open to each other”says national player Cécile Pieper from Rot-Weiss Köln.
Altenburg is the successor to the Belgian Reckinger
Under Altenburg’s predecessor, the Belgian Xavier Reckinger, the mood in the German team was tense recently, many players looked dogged. The really big successes did not materialize either, apart from two finals at European Championships (2019 and 2021).
Now Germany’s best hockey players want to take off under the new national coach. The 40-year-old from Hamburg Altenburg stands for new beginnings, he comes across as a modern, communicative trainer: “My vision is that we play attractive and successful hockey with this team”he says.
“His dressing room speeches are just crass…”
But his team is not that far yet. “Our first goal is therefore to become a team that is difficult to beat”, explains Altenburg. In concrete terms, this probably means a more defensive orientation than usual in the past. In the first courses under Altenburg’s leadership, the main focus was on behavior in one’s own and opposing circles and susceptibility to counterattacks.
In any case, the trainer’s open nature appeals to the players. “His dressing room speeches are just awesome”, enthuses Cécile Pieper. And the Düsseldorf national goalkeeper Nathalie Kubalski also feels “More collected and better integrated”.
Not surprising for anyone who hears Altenburg speak. The national coach seems refreshingly direct in his appearance, he uses a creative, almost youthful language. And if you follow his words, you will immediately understand what the coach is trying to convey. So it’s no wonder that his players are enthusiastic.
Germany still without a win in the Pro League
How this is noticeable on the field will be seen in Düsseldorf. On Tuesday (March 22nd) and Wednesday (March 23rd, 3:30 p.m. each time) Spain is the opponent in the per league, in which the best teams in the world compete. Germany is in the bottom third of the table after four games without a win. That should change as soon as possible with Altenburg on the line.