One thing was so important to Alfred Gislason at the German Handball Association’s (DHB) last digital media event shortly before Christmas that he didn’t even need a question to answer it: “No player is in this squad because he is young.” That was one direct, if somewhat belated, response to Bob Hanning. The creator of the Berliner Füchse had already called for some of the U-21 world champions to move up to the senior team in the summer.
During his first course after a six-month international break in November, Gislason was rather reluctant to make use of the German talent pool, which earned him criticism – and not just from Hanning. When the 64-year-old national coach announced his squad for the European Championships from January 10th to 28th in Germany, four names from “Generation Z” appeared: David Späth (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Justus Fischer and Renars Uscins ( TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Nils Lichtlein (Füchse Berlin).
They formed the framework of the team that won the title in Berlin in July – but neither their performances at the time nor their age and certainly not Hanning’s public pressure had persuaded Gislason to invite them. This was important to him: “They are in the squad because they are good.” The DHB’s immediate preparation begins this Wednesday with a short course in Frankfurt, which ends on Friday.
Good, arduous, expensive training
With this, Gislason brushes off a debate that has been going on in German handball for many years – when will the clubs finally train well enough to offer the national team not just candidates or stopgap candidates, but potential regular players? The DHB and the transferring clubs, especially Burgdorf, Füchse, Löwen, consider the 2002/2003 vintage to be a golden one, one that makes the good, arduous, expensive training shine in everyday life and on courses. And these players should please increase their value as senior national players!
All four could face important tasks in the group games against Switzerland, North Macedonia and France. Goalkeeper David Späth, 21 years old, outplayed experienced players like Silvio Heinevetter and left keepers on the move like Till Klimpke behind him. Despite strong competition in Mannheim, he played often and achieved a respectable rate of 30 percent of throws blocked. Späth will be the second man behind Andreas Wolff, but is considered a goalkeeper who quickly gets up to speed. At the Junior World Championships he brought the halls to a boil with his wild cheers after parades.
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At the time, Justus Fischer also acknowledged his own success stories with a big mouth and wide-open eyes. 194 centimeters long, 113 kilograms heavy: It’s no wonder that Gislason expects a lot from him in the circle – especially in defense he should give Johannes Golla and Julian Köster important breaks.
“Player playing a second in the future”
Fischer is a permanent fixture in Burgdorf with coach Christian Prokop, has played a good first half of the season in the Bundesliga and radiates courage and energy, which can only help the rather quiet A team. The man with shoe size 51 has been supported for years by his handball-loving parents, who themselves achieved a bit of fame through their father Thorsten almost ten years ago – Fischer senior also correctly answered the million-dollar question on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in 2014.
And then there are the two left-handed players who are supposed to make the German team stronger and more dangerous to score. Years ago, discoverer and sponsor Hanning spoke of him as the “upcoming playmaker of the national team” and coined the term “player who will play a second in the future”.
The reserved Nils Lichtlein doesn’t particularly like so much praise – and because of many injuries he was initially unable to meet the great expectations. But because of the Füchse’s failures, the 21-year-old gained a lot of practice in the first 19 games of this season and had to hold his own alongside stars Mathias Gidsel and Lasse Andersson. If Gislason brings him, should playmaker Juri Knorr need rest? Or the more experienced Marian Michalczik?
Renars Uscins from Burgdorf could play the least role in the circle of the “big ones”. The left-hander with Latvian roots led the juniors as captain. Gislason has him because he can throw hard and cover well, but the established Kai Häfner and the all-rounder Christoph Steinert are well ahead of him in the right backcourt. This is how the discourse at the European Championships will continue when it is no longer about how many young stars Gislason has nominated. But how long he lets them play.
