Löwen coach to go, while key players stay

The rumours had already been spread last week and since Monday it is official: Gudmundur Gudmundsson will leave German VELUX EHF Champions League participants Rhein Neckar Löwen and will become coach of the Danish national team at the end of this season.

Although the Icelandic coach’s contract was valid until 2015, he had a release clause in the result that he gets an offer to become a national team coach.

“It was the hardest decision in my life and I want to stress that it was not a decision against Rhein Neckar Löwen. I hope the fans understand my decision. Until the final day I will work with heart and soul for this club, with which we all together went through turbulent times in the last year. The team gets better and better and I hope to have a highly successful season ahead with Löwen,” Gudmundsson said on a press conference on Tuesday.

His career had started all of a sudden in autumn 2010, when he was appointed new Löwen coach less than 40 hours before their first group phase match at Barcelona – and sensationally “Gudmi” took both points from the Palau Blaugrana, starting a season they reached the final destination of Cologne and led Löwen to the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

But it took until last season, to raise his first trophy with the club from Mannheim, winning the EHF Cup.

Now a new chapter of his career will be opened in Denmark, where he had worked as a coach (GOG) and sports director (AG Kobenhavn) before.

The biggest goal of the Federation is to become Olympic champions in 2016. Gudmundsson was in charge of the Icelandic team that reached the 2008 Olympic final at Beijing against France.

Until 2012 Gudmundsson was working with both Löwen and Iceland – but another “double role” was impossible in this case.

Sign of intent from Groetzki

“It is a logical step in his career; to become Danish national team coach is one of the best jobs in international handball in a handball-crazy country.

“We are thankful that we had and have him, as he is a great coach, who has high goals until the end. Now we are starting to search for a solution. We will discuss with the players, which coach can fit for Löwen. Gudmundsson’s heritage in Mannheim is a top team,” Löwen manager Thorsten Storm said after the departure.

“It is good that Gudmundsson’s decision was announced that early and that all speculation has come to an end, as now everybody can focus on his tasks and duties. We are fully focused on what’s happening on the court,” said Löwen team captain Uwe Gensheimer.

Despite the coach’s departure, some cornerstones for the future are already set. After Swiss playmaker Andy Schmid, Spanish world champion Gedeon Guardiola and Norwegian line player Bjarte Myrhol, now Löwen’s home-grown talent Patrick Groetzki has extended his contract until 2016. In 2007 the junior world champion, arrived at Löwen – and the right wing will spend the at least the next two seasons there.

“It is all set up for a great team, the development of the team and club is very positive, those were the reasons for me to stay. Additionally I have so many friends in the team and I fully identity myself with Löwen,” said Groetzki.

Will the captain stay?

The only question mark in the Löwen squad is Groetzki’s best friend and fellow winger: team captain Gensheimer, a boy from Mannheim, who has been part of the Löwen team since the age of 17.

His contract expires at the end of the season and it became public that the right wing and two-time German handball player of the year has offers from THW Kiel and FC Barcelona.

“I hope that Uwe also stays,” admitted Groetzki, after he had signed his new contract on Tuesday.

On Thursday the next international challenge is waiting for the Germans, hosting St. Petersburg in the VELUX EHF Champions League.

“Regardless of previous results for the Russians, this is the Champions League and in this competition you need to have respect for any opponent and to take every match seriously. We are aiming high, so we hope to win,” concluded Gudmundsson.