One word deliberately appears several times in Timo Kastening’s analysis of Melsung’s soaring: acceptance. Kastening himself seems to know that the term seems a bit awkward to describe the new cooperation of a handball team. But it is actually the case that one person is now much more willing to accept the behavior or misconduct of the other.
When your colleague makes a bad pass or throw, you no longer roll your eyes in annoyance or dramatically indicate where the ball should have gone. Instead, the handball professionals from MT Melsungen are now cheering each other on.
Timo Kastening, 28-year-old player in the first division team, says: “When you get into a phase of failure, like we had in Melsungen for a long time, you initially only look at your performance, and the team’s success falls by the wayside.” Almost everyone from the team, and those in charge anyway, have emphasized in this so far successful season that the solidarity is different.
New Melsung vibrations
The MT from Melsungen in northern Hesse is first in the Bundesliga table with 12:0 points, has won games in Kiel and Lemgo and can continue to pull ahead at home against TSV Hannover-Burgdorf on Friday (8 p.m. at Dyn). The league’s whipping boys have become amazed winners. In the conversation Kastening reminds us how fresh the series still is and how premature assessments of MT as a championship candidate seem to him.
The new Melsung captain says: “I have been here since 2020 and have seen how the bad image has built up over the years. Melsungen, the oasis of well-being where the players have six days off and get a fat salary, but in the end they don’t achieve anything. Sure, a lot of things didn’t go well. The criticism was partly justified. But it wasn’t because of the team’s work ethic.” Since the 2015/16 season, the MT has consistently remained below its potential despite the millions from sponsor B. Braun. The face of the standstill was managing director Axel Geerken. In the summer, MT parted ways with him despite his contract until June 30, 2024.
Dainis Kristopans moved from Paris to Northern Hesse, Erik Balenciaga came from Toulouse. : Image: Picture Alliance / Montage FAZ
In these autumn days, national player Kastening is absorbing other Melsunger vibes. The eternal negative mood has been wiped away. The fans are amazed at a successful, cheerful and approachable team: “It’s just good that everyone is having fun together,” says Kastening. This is also due to the three entrances that now adorn the MT.
“Dynamics, athleticism and flow of the game”
Finally, those responsible for the sport didn’t make a mistake with the new guys. Erik Balenciaga, 30 years old, controls the game. 32-year-old Dainis Kristopans is the anchor in attack, Adrian Sipos, who is one year older, is the rock in defense. “With them we have dynamism, athleticism and flow of the game,” says Kastening, “we are finally getting into the tempo game.” Which of course also helps him, the right winger.
Coach Roberto Parrondo, who has been there since 2021 and has long been viewed critically, now has the players for his system. He paired the Latvian giant Kristopans (2.15 meters) with the Spanish director Balenciaga (1.68 meters). Tall and short, it fits perfectly – that’s how it was at Paris St-Germain, where Kristopans and the Dutchman Luc Steins (1.73 meters) harmonized. This reduced the concerns about signing such a small playmaker. In previous seasons, the Melsungers rarely gave such thought to the composition of the squad.
Frank Heike, Hamburg Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 2 Frank Heike, Hamburg Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 2 Frank Heike, Hamburg Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 4
Regarding Kristopans’ rumored salary, which is said to be the highest in the league, Kastening says: “If you look at what he has won and how he plays, a high salary is deserved. What’s the problem?” The fact that the Melsungers are now providing fun facts with the longest and the shortest player in the league fits into the current mood of optimism.
It’s one that makes Kastening both confident and cautious: “We had three home games, we don’t have any injuries, the three new guys are making a huge impact. The victory in Kiel inspired us. The flow was able to build. Of course we want to continue like this and I hope that a bad phase doesn’t knock us down.”
Kastening says he has the feeling that many people interested in handball outside of northern Hesse are just waiting for the MT to get on its own again. “But such an image can also be a motivation, according to the motto: We’ll show you!” Let’s see how long the tailwind that is currently letting the much-maligned Melsungers sail through the league lasts.
