27.08.2009, 02:27
THW looking towards a bright future

Veszprém, Montpellier, Barcelona, Ciudad Real and the German teams - coach Gislasson about the CL chances.

THW looking towards a bright future

THW Kiel hosted the season-opener press conference in the luxurious office building of their main sponsor, Provinzial. This event has become a tradition in the last couple of years. However, the team will not focus on the past and traditions this time. “Look into the future,” was the title of a leaflet distributed at the event.

In the last half a year, the mood of the THW fans was continuously changing from celebrating the sports successes to nervousness about the manipulation charges. A brighter future should follow this period.

Several new players and club managers should help in creating this future. The team has substantially changed after top players such as Stefan Lövgren, Nikola Karabatic and Vid Kavticnik left. THW presented at the event the players they put their faith into, Momir Ilic (coming from VfL Gummersbach), Christian Sprenger (SC Magdeburg), Aron Palmarsson (FH Hafnarfjördur) and the experienced goalkeeper Peter Gentzel (HSG Nordhorn). Gentzel will substitute the injured Swedish Andreas Palicka (torn muscle) in the next months.

“All new players fitted in quickly,“ said Alfred Gislason. “We are confident that we signed the right players.“

The most spectacular deal has not yet been concluded. Daniel Narcisse, one of the best players in the world, was approached by Kiel. The formalities should be clearified now. In principle, they should agree…

THW have a new leadership with Uli Derad and Sabine Holdorf-Schust as well as with a new board of supervisors.

“We have a constructive and harmonious cooperation with the management,“ confirms the chairman of this board, Klaus-Hinrich Vater.

“Uli Derad proved his abilities as he was dealing with the case of Narcisse always in a calm, professional and finall successful manner.“

With all the 10,000 season tickets sold out again and with a €7,5 million budget, Kiel are financially stable. The club retained its reputation in Europe.

“It is a dream for any handballer to play for Kiel at some point,“ Momir Ilic said. His new team mate, Christian Sprenger, added: “As all the other players, I came here to win titles.“

Coach Alfred Gislason is sure that “the competition will be significantly greater than last season.” In the Champions League he believes that the biggest rivals will be – apart from the other German clubs – Veszprém, Montpellier, Barcelona and Ciudad Real.

TEXT: Jan Kirschner