Former national coach Heiner Brand still has a lot of confidence in the German national handball team even after the Austrian bankruptcy. “I still believe in the semi-finals. But what we showed against Austria was shocking. I was surprised and disappointed. We were still well served with the point,” the 71-year-old told Sportbuzzer.
In the second main round game against Austria on Saturday, the European Championship hosts were lucky to score 22:22. In the attack, the Germans missed 22 of 54 shots and there were numerous technical errors.
National coach Alfred Gislason’s team now has to win against Hungary this Monday (8.30 p.m./ZDF and Dyn) in order to be in the race for the semi-finals before the last main round game against Croatia. The DHB selection is currently only in fourth place in its group of six with 3:3 points behind France (6:0) as well as Hungary and Austria (both 4:2). The first two teams qualify for the semi-finals.
Brand does not agree with the criticism of Knorr
For Brand, the weakness in attack in the German team is no surprise, and the 2007 world champion coach also considers the exploitation of opportunities to be “a minor matter. The central problem is our fundamental orientation in attack: no dynamism, no quick passes, no movement without the ball. These are things that Should be automated. At least in the preparation phase of the attack. I didn’t see anything about that,” said the former Gummersbacher.
From Brand’s point of view, the criticism of playmaker Juri Knorr from former national players Stefan Kretzschmar, Pascal Hens and Michael Kraus “shouldn’t have been so harsh and blatant”. “Juri is the guy who claims the ball for himself. If that doesn’t work, it doesn’t look good, it will be difficult for his teammates too,” said Brand. The 23-year-old from the Rhein-Neckar Löwen must improve and, in addition to his individual strength, be prepared to make more movement for those around him.
Brand doesn’t believe that group leaders France will let themselves down against Austria: “They will fulfill their part. So it depends on us.”
