We are Kielce and we want to win every match

There is a small group of teams able to boast about defeating THW Kiel, a more exclusive one has managed to achieve this twice in a row, and that group includes Vive Targi Kielce.

Last weekend the Polish players returned to the VELUX EHF Champions League with a bad taste left in the mouth of their fans after losing their last three matches on the European floor.

Talant Dujshebaev ensures that this was their last time they would leave the court with their heads hanging down. “We are Kielce and we want to win every match,” announced the new coach.

It is not easy to regain the balance after it was disturbed. Especially when you are told to start performing completely different figures on the beam. This is the task the Polish players need to come to grips with, after Dujshebaev replaced Bogdan Wenta on the position.

“I have been playing professional handball for twelve or thirteen years now and during this time I have been learning completely different solutions.

“I was convinced I had cut my teeth on handball but the new coach played a prank on me showing a completely different side of the coin. It’s U-turn handball we play,” laughs Krzysztof Lijewski, Kielce’s right back.

“I am not accustomed to such a system and not everything works as it should yet, but we are getting better and better every single day,” adds left wing Manuel Strlek.

Our plan is only to win

After defeating FC Porto Vitalis in Round 8, Kielce can now look forward to face the great THW Kiel, which freezes one’s blood simply by the names of the players defending the black–and–white colours.

“They have excellent guys in each position and we are very happy to have the opportunity of playing against one of the best clubs in the world,” says Dujshebaev.

The coach, however, underlines one crucial fact: “Of course we have to respect them but we don’t want to say that Kiel is better. We also have valuable specialists at our disposal”.

Lijewski expresses himself with a similar tone: “This is the German team that has a lot to think about because they lost against us twice recently.

“We know how the victory against such a team tastes and we would like to feel it once again, proving that it was not an accident. Not everyone has a pleasure to fight with them. Gaining a victory at their home and pulling the plug on their fans would be a nice experience”.

The younger of the Lijewski brothers spent seven seasons in the Bundesliga, so he is well familiarised with the Sparkassen Arena.

“The atmosphere is amazing there, the fans give the team solid support from the beginning until the end and you cannot hear your own thoughts.

“But it only gets me going, my body receives an additional adrenaline injection by the atmosphere,” said Lijewski.

“The more people in the stands, the better atmosphere,” agrees Kielce’s defensive pillar, Piotr Grabarczyk.

The line player also points out that this time he and his colleagues must stay focused as never before if they want to conquer the fortress of the zebras: “We need to play better than Kiel. We are forgetting about past experiences with them and focusing on the challenge on Sunday”.

“They want to take a revenge on us. You know, who dares to win against them twice?” laughs Manuel Strlek.

Their new coach pacifies a bit the combative moods of his players, saying with a smile: “Our plan is only to win this game, nothing more”.

Whether Kielce can execute their plan or not will be seen on Sunday evening, with the show starting at 17:45 hrs. local time and will be broadcast live on ehfTV.com.