applause accompanied Uwe Gensheimer, as the captain leads the German handball players on the parquet in the almost full sport hall in the Berlin sports forum.
The almost 2000 Fans whip out their cell phone cameras, then each player of the DHB is celebrated selection. “This is an unbelievably great reception. We feel a huge euphoria for Handball,” says DHB-sport Board of management, Axel Kromer.
the world Cup has not even started. 48 hours before the opening game against Korea, the public Training is on Tuesday evening but a foretaste of the mood that should carry the Team by national coach Christian Prokop through to the finals in Germany and Denmark. “That was really, really great,” says Gensheimer.
“The guys have been looking forward to it. It’s not every day that you exercise in front of an audience”, says team Manager Oliver Roggisch and thanked the Fans: “Sensational, you’re here. Very strong.”
After a free day the 16 chosen by the Federal coach in the early afternoon in Berlin at the team hotel. “We feel good,” says Gensheimer. And rear-area player Paul Drux added: “The mood in the team is excellent. When you see that 2000 people come here to have the Training to watch and cheer us, and arouses the anticipation.”
Which is also the national coach felt. “We’ve been working for a year and a half. We are looking forward to Thursday,” says Procopius, with a view to the world Cup Opening. “You realize, tingling that it now begins,” confirms Roggisch. “There you go.”
Anything other than a prelude to victory for the world champion of 2007 is not an issue: “We play against an opponent, we have to clearly beat. We want to fill up the audience from the first Minute to take away, and self-confidence for the heavy tasks.”
During the nearly hour-long Practice session are all players in it for the fun. Again and again the spectators who have paid two Euro entrance for a good purpose, applaud, successful actions of Gensheimer & co. “This is a beautiful Situation for the team, because you will understand slowly, what will happen to us,” says DHB Vice President Bob Hanning, the good mood in the stands. “Therefore, it is a small trial run.”
At the end of the DHB’s Stars still have time for the Fans and write autographs. “We open ourselves up and show that we are there. Just for children and young people, it is a great opportunity to experience the national team players up close and to get Autographs met,” says his players from the Fans, sealing umlagerte Prokop.
At the world Cup, all hoping for a similar euphoria. Sports Board Kromer leaves the hall with a good feeling: “We have a team that knows the in weeks, with only one goal: to bring The basketball with the successful Play the front.”
dpa
