Exemplar

Sometimes a commentator is just a fan. I know I am. And I know I was at the game in the O2 between Hamburg and Flensburg to commentate, but sometimes I just sat back and admired the various pieces of the puzzle that go into making a team. The links between defence and attack were demonstrated in such a simplicity of execution in a match that shone like a beacon of how two teams can play handball.

In a derby game that is usually known for it's no holds barred style, this game was played in incredibly good spirits with handball the winner. The referees did a great job allowing the game to flow, with the result that there seemed to be absolutely no stoppages at all. The game flowed from end to end with some outstanding attacking flair and some awesome defence.  

But you never felt the players strayed outside the laws of the game and the respect for each other was plain to see. Even the coaches looked strangely relaxed.

Far be it for me to say that the final placements of both these teams in the group is already decided with only half the matches played, but there is no one else to compete with them in Group D and even a home win next week for Flensburg won't negate the draw they had away at Logrono.

With this in mind each coach went about their business in a very "business-like" fashion. The edge of last year's quarter final match was noticeably missing and although both teams went out to win (of that there is no doubt), there was a sense of this being a kind of exhibition game.

Perhaps a demonstration game might be a better word. For if you wanted to show kids or even older players how a centre block should work then show them Karlsson and Heinl in the first half.

How to play a pressing defence; Hamburg. How a goalkeeper works angles; Bitter. Flexiblity and reactions in a goalie; Andersson. Shooting: Weinhold, Duvnjak etc etc. the list is endless. There were no kempas or trick shots just a match that any coach could look at and say that's something I can show my players.

I cannot explain it better than that. Duvnjak was at his imperious best. Weinhold too. Canellas despite a shaky first half found his range and taught Godfridsson an attacking lesson. Lindberg showed young Radivojevic how a right winger can score. And Andersson and Bitter showed their range of shot stopping ability.

The defences of both teams were awesome. Karlsson was a man possessed. Flohr and Dominikovic too. In fact Hamburg carried out Schwalb's defensive tactics to a tee. I was lucky to watch the training on Friday and it was a carbon copy of what I saw on game day. I was also amazed at how players threw themselves on a loose ball to be sure their team would get possession.

Vranjes must have had one eye on the return leg and a match up with Kiel in the Bundesliga next week because he played a really young team for the last few minutes of the first half and the entire second.

He gave all the 'usuals' the afternoon off and although the young guns couldn't beat Hamburg, the 5 goal win slightly flatters the home team. The youngsters showed great willingness to keep going and a calmer head and better shot choices from Radivojevic and things could have been tighter. Another pointer for coaches that you can give youth a chance.

In the end Schwalb emptied his bench, apart from Djordjic, and even with Markovic injured, Pfahl was an able deputy.

There were times when I just sat back and watched the beauty of our game and wondered again what it would be like to be a fan.

The first half was nail biting. The second, for all it's speed and power just seemed to lack a certain "je ne sais quoi".
It was hard, but fair.

But for all that, it was great to watch. It filled the heart. It restored some artistic merit to the game particularly after the bludgeoning battle we saw from Skopje last Thursday.

Representatives from Qatar 2015 came to see the event. They couldn't have gone away disappointed. I know I didn't.