From Zebras to Lions

Rhein Neckar Löwen ("the lions") are working on their future team. Last week Croatian right wing player Ivan Čupić (Velenje) signed a three year contract starting next season. Now Löwen have stated that also playmaker Børge Lund will join the club next season.

Like Čupić the Norwegian international, currently playing for THW Kiel (the "zebras"), signed a three year contract valid until 2013.

"I’m glad to have found a club which will play for national and international titles," Lund said. His main reason for the transfer: "I don’t only want to help to avoid goals of our opponents, but want to assist to goals or score by myself."

The 30 year old Norwegian was predominantly used as a defence specialist at THW Kiel and didn’t get much offense playing time, as THW has world class options like Jícha, Palmarsson or Narcisse.

Lund had several other options for his future, but he signed the contract with the Löwen mainly because of coach Ola Lindgren, under whom he played at his former Bundesliga club, Nordhorn. "The time in Nordhorn together with Lindgren was a very special one for me," Lund said.

"Børge is a typical playmaker, who has a good eye for his team mates and causes very little mistakes," Lindgren praises his upcoming player. "Børge is fast, a very good shooter and has very high qualities in the defence," Löwen manager Thorsten Storm adds.

THW coach Alfred Gislasson was quoted in the newspaper Kieler Nachrichten: "From the sportive and the human point of view it’s a loss for THW. But I’m glad that Børge found a good club."

Until now it’s not clear whether THW will sign a substitute for Lund for the next season. "We’re looking for a player with high defence qualities, but we’re not under pressure," THW director Uli Derad stated.

Rumours say that pivot Igor Anic might leave Kiel after this season, too, as THW have signed Serbian Milutin Dragićević from the Danish club Silkeborg.