national coach Christian Prokop was before the world Cup Showdown with Norway, a very determined – and also his charges firmly believe in the first Medaillencoup for twelve years.
After a relaxing move from Cologne to Hamburg to cheer Germany’s handball player with great expectations to the world Cup semi-final against the Vice-champion of the world by 2017.
“It’s awesome that we can live our dream,” said Prokop on Thursday evening. “We are not here for the other wave, but want more.” And captain Uwe Gensheimer stressed before the game on Friday (20.30 clock/ARD): “We have achieved our target in Hamburg, but we are not done yet.”
In the team hotel before the gates of Hamburg booth in the evening for the last video studies. Even otherwise, the routine has not been changed. Why? “So far, we have passed many tests and want to do well against Norway,” said Prokop. “We have, after several years of abstinence, the Chance of a lifetime.” To be used with all the Power.
In the case of a final feeder will return the DHB-selection on Monday to the starting point of their world Cup trip to Berlin. There is a big medal party is planned. DHB Vice President Bob Hanning had no doubt that the team has this goal firmly in their sights. “If you got this far, you want to play for the Gold,” said Hanning.
even now, the world Championships at home, is reminiscent of the winter’s tale from 2007, when the DHB selection was driven by a wave of Euphoria to the title. “You can feel that the whole country is behind us,” said Prokop.
This trust does not want to disappoint gensheimer & co.. “The team is ready to do everything humanly possible to reach the final,” said left winger Matthias Musche. And in the back room players, Kai Häfner, one of only eight European Champions of 2016 in the Team, sounded: “It will be a tough Match, but I think we win it.”
In the eight tournament games remained to a unit that has become Prokop-force undefeated. Only against the six-times champion France, which meets on Friday at 17.30 in the first semi-finals to Co-hosts Denmark, and against Russia was made in the first round each a point. “That we go unbeaten to the semi-finals, had not expected prior to the tournament a lot,” said gensheimer. However: “This is a Statement that nothing more is in the semi-final but value.”
With the Norwegians to their Superstar Sander Sagosen – Paris Saint-Germain team-mate of Gensheimer – waiting is a very hard nut to crack. “Norway has a strong team. Most of the players have already played in the Bundesliga. This is very, very difficult,” said goalkeeper Andreas Wolff. And Procopius warned: “You can’t reduce Norway to Sagosen.”
Given the pace of hand ball, the Scandinavians play, must be the German defense back to the bulwark. “We need to be good on the legs, in the two fights coming up, always doubling, so that there are no breakthroughs in the Nahwurfzone”, formulated DHB Vice President Bob Hanning route of the March.
Prokop has mountains great respect for the opponent and its Trainer, Christian. “He is a tactical Fox and a great person,” said the 40-Year-old than his colleagues. The focus should be primarily on their own Strengths. “We want to play again.”
in addition to the Defensive of the second German trump is to stand out – the Fans. “When it comes to the final, it is allowed to keep it on the seat. As each goat has to have it”, said Häfner. And circle runners Jannik Kohlbacher, said: “We need all the Fans to realize our dream of the final.”
The tailwind, the team won in the adoption of Cologne at the 31:30 in their main round-final against European Champions Spain. “On the lap of honour I saved the positive images,” said Gensheimer. “I hope that we get in Hamburg again as a Mega-mood, and our home advantage.”
Fabian Böhm, with five goals the best German throwers against Spain, firmly believes in a victory: “Because we are the better team, because we have just an absolute team spirit, because everyone is each other’s struggles, and simply because we are ready.”
Since the world Premiere in 1938, German teams have so far won ten medals – only two of them but after the German reunification. In 2003, Croatia had silver, 2007 in your own country Gold. Accordingly, the longing for the precious metal. And goalkeeper Wolff confessed: “I’m a romantic. My dream final would be Germany against Denmark.”
dpa
