In the Bundesliga, the Füchse Berlin handball players are having an outstanding season and are leading the table. Starting this Wednesday, managing director Bob Hanning and the team will first focus on the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, then the European League, before the Berlin team continues in the league on November 19th.
Ask: Mr. Hanning, what is more likely: that the Füchse Berlin will become champions or that Germany will win the European Championship title?
Bob Hanning: Right of way for the German national team!
Ask: Really? The Foxes lead the table with 21:1 points.
also read
Hannah: 21:1 points give a nice feeling. The championship title is definitely not impossible for the Foxes, just like the European Championship title for Germany with the help of the home advantage. But at the end of the month we have to go to Kiel – and I know what awaits us there. Even if the fox is smart and the zebra may not be so fast at the moment. For Kiel it is the last chance for the championship. And the top favorite for me is and remains SC Magdeburg anyway.
Ask: Are you surprised that Kiel, as the reigning champions, has such problems in the league?
Hannah: Eight negative points so early in the season is a bit much. That surprises me. You can see that things were easier with Landin and Sagosen. But Kiel will improve. I’m sure.
also read
Ask: They have already defeated the top teams Magdeburg, Rhein-Neckar Löwen and Melsungen.
Hannah: So far it’s going perfectly. Despite the injuries to Paul Drux, Fabian Wiede and Max Darj and the departure of Jacob Holm to Paris. But other players benefit from this. Lasse Andersson takes on more responsibility. Just like Mathias Gidsel, who leads the way as the go-to guy. With Nils Lichtlein we have a player in the middle who, not for nothing, became MVP of the U21 World Cup and has now been invited to the national team. It takes place a second in the future. I would definitely take him to the European Championships. In addition, the old man is on the right wing (Hans Lindberg is 42; editor) still plays amazing handball. With Jerry Tollbring we have further strengthened our left wing duo with Tim Freihöfer. And my loving “Balkan connection” with Dejan Milosavljev in goal, Mijajlo Marsenic and Marko Kopljar clears everything away in defense. The combination of young and old fits. And Jaron Siewert has become even stronger as a coach and gives the team more security. We have all evolved. This also means that a sports psychologist is now part of the team. And Füchsetown, our training center, is already unique in Europe.
Füchse Berlin celebrate a clear victory in the top game – the highlights in the video
The Füchse Berlin celebrate their tenth win in their tenth game and extend their lead in the table. Pursuer Melsungen keeps the top game balanced for a long time. A strong final spurt gave the Foxes victory. The highlights in the video.
Ask: Shouldn’t the aim then be to become number one?
Hannah: We all dream of the German championship. We can do that too. But we are not Bayern Munich. We don’t have to become champions. For years we were like SC Freiburg – only we won a few titles. Now we want to be like Borussia Dortmund. You don’t have to become German champion, but you will one day. And you can also win the Champions League.
Ask: You rely on your own talent more than other clubs. There were six Berliners and Potsdamers in the U21 world champion team. Is that the club’s philosophy?
“It takes place a second in the future,” says Hanning about Nils Lichtlein
Quelle: picture alliance/SvenSimon/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON
Hannah: We want motivation through identification. This is another way we want to stand out from the other clubs. On the other hand, this is also due to economic efficiency. We live in a city with 126 first and second division teams, all of whom care about the same sponsorship cake. There is a brutal fight in Berlin. So we have to see what is possible. We would love to have Aaron Mensing (GOG/Dänemark; d. Red.) obligated. But we can’t afford it. Also a Simon Pytlick (Flensburg; d. Red.) we would have liked to have.
Ask: Nevertheless, you managed to bring in a top player like Mathias Gidsel, who the whole of Europe was chasing. How was that possible?
Hannah: This is clearly a credit to Stefan Kretzschmar (Füchse sports director; editor). He had early contact with him and was very persistent. This is his king transfer. We were also able to extend our contract with Mathias until 2028 at an early stage, even though he had better offers. He feels comfortable with us, loves his leadership role and life in the big city. He really hit home straight away. For me he is the best player in the world at the moment. He can do everything on the ball – front and back.
also read
Ask: Stefan Kretzschmar posted on social media a few days ago: “International break welcome. Time to think and discuss future professional plans.” Is he announcing his departure from the Füchse – even if he later qualified his statement in the gym?
Hannah: I hope not! I’m hearing that for the first time. We are satisfied and absolutely happy with Stefan’s work. There is absolutely no reason on our part to change anything about the collaboration.
Ask: You’re both alphas – isn’t there any friction there?
Hannah: Of course, there are sometimes discussions when it comes to sporting matters such as transfers and playing times for individual players. But that’s completely normal. Stefan pushes me a little ahead of him. That’s why I got him. He should make the foxes better. But it has to be economically feasible and incorporate the club’s DNA. Then he can do whatever he wants with the transfers. So far I have fulfilled almost every wish of his. And in the interpersonal area we work wonderfully well. I can’t imagine it better.
Successful team: Stefan Kretzschmar and Bob Hanning
Source: picture alliance/Sportfoto Zink/Wolfgang Zink
Ask: You are also a coach at partner club VfL Potsdam and are in third place in the second division. Where will you sit if you get promoted and play against the Foxes next season?
Hannah: Then I sit in the stands as Füchse managing director. After all, this is my employer. The job in Potsdam is voluntary. But I don’t expect us to go up. At this point, I can’t imagine continuing to be a coach there next season. I would like to hand over VfL in a stable condition to a suitable successor.
Ask: Is this your final farewell as a coach?
Hannah: No. I can very well imagine coaching a national team again. A small country where I can build something. This is what I’ve always liked to do.
Ask: Could it also be the German team if the European Championship fails?
Hannah: For God’s sake! Not in the slightest. As I said: a small country.
Here you will find content from third parties
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
The interview was conducted for the Sports Competence Center (WELT, SPORT BILD, BILD) and first published in SPORT BILD.
