20.11.2007, 10:15
Kiel looking for goalkeeper

Swedish international Mattias Andersson signs three-year contract in Großwallstadt from the end of the season.

Kiel looking for goalkeeper

Last season THW Kiel had three world class goalkeepers: Thierry Omeyer, Henning Fritz and Mattias Andersson. Fritz left the Champions League winner for Rhein Neckar Löwen Mannheim. After that Kiel had only two goalkeepers on their payroll. And after this season the duo Omeyer/Andersson will also split.

The Swedish international who came from Barcelona to Kiel in 2002 will leave THW. Andersson signs three-year contract with former German champions, TVG Growallstadt.

“I would enjoy playing a little bit more than I do in Kiel and I wanted to accept a new challenge. However, I will really miss the great spectators in Kiel,” Andersson said in an interview.

Due to an outstanding performance of Omeyer, Andersson was only number two in Kiel. Another explanation of his decision may well be that Großwallstadt gave him a long-term contract, while Kiel only offered him one for the new season.

“We could not give him such a long contract,” said THW manager Uwe Schwenker.

“The money was not the reason to sign for Großwallstadt,” said Andersson, who won many titles with Kiel: four German championships, German Cup, Champions League, German Super Cup and EHF Champions Trophy.

Now Schwenker is looking for a newsgoalkeeper for the forthcoming season. German international, Silvio Heinevetter, is alleged to be one of the candidates. The young goalkeeper plays for EHF Cup winner SC Magdeburg currently.

Schwenker did not comment on this, but said: “Nationality is not the most important thing, quality is more important.”

TEXT: Björn Pazen