In full transition but full of hopes
It is the biggest transition of the past decade for THW Kiel - but still the German record champions (with 20 titles) hope to court a team, which can make it to Cologne again.
Since the inauguration of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in the LANXESS Arena in 2010, Kiel have qualified six times, only missed the event in 2011.
The team of Alfred Gislason (who just extended his contract to 2019) has won the trophy twice (2010 and 2012), in 2015 they missed out on making it to the final after a defeat to Veszprem.
Three top players (Aron Palmarsson/Veszprem, Filip Jicha/Barcelona, Rasmus Lauge/Flensburg) and three goalkeepers (Johan Sjöstrand, Kim Sonne and Andreas Palicka) have left THW prior to the start of the season.
Kiel’s biggest transfer was Danish goalie Niklas Landin, who arrived from Rhein Neckar Löwen. In addition, some young players like German Christian Dissinger or Brazilian Rogerio Ferreira have arrived in Kiel, but THW have also signed experience, like by the transfer of left wing Torsten
Jansen (from Hamburg) and Norwegian left back Erlend Mamelund (from Haslum) arrives as one of the successors of Jicha.
Preparation for the new VELUX EHF Champions League season was anything but easy for Gislason and his squad.
Jicha was injured and left the club in the middle of August, Jansen got injured, Dominik Klein is still out until October after a rupture to his cruciate ligament, Landin was injured and started his preparation only middle of July - so Gislason never had his full squad for any test match or training session, and some clear defeats like against Veszprem or Barcelona were only expected.
“We are in the second year of a major transition, but still we hope to make it to Cologne again - and to fight for all domestic trophies,” says manager Thorsten Storm, adding: “It is important for us to be part of the VELUX EHF Champions League, to compete with the best of the best and to be part of the competition as long as possible.”
Due to the new format of the VELUX EHF Champions League, THW Kiel will have to face strong opponents already in the Group Phase, like 2015 finalist Veszprem (with former THW players Palmarsson, Zeitz and Ilic), reinforced PSG Paris (with former THW players Karabatic, Omeyer and Narcisse), domestic rivals Flensburg (which they just beat in the German Super Cup by 27:26) or Zagreb, Celje and Besiktas.
“This is the toughest group ever composed in the history of this competition. Paris are the major favourite for the title, Veszprem have strong squad again and Flensburg have a much wider selection when compared with last season, when we beat them in the Last 16,” Storm looking to the group phase.
New team captain Rene Toft Hansen (successor of Filip Jicha) agrees: “This group is simply tough. Kiel, Paris, Veszprem, Flensburg, Celje, Zagreb, Plock and Istanbul are all fighting to win this group. There’s nothing better for the fans, and we want to win every match. But again our final dream is to make it to Cologne,” says the THW line player.
THW Kiel (GER)
Qualification for the 2015/2016 VELUX EHF Champions League season: German champions
Newcomers: Niklas Landin Jacobsen (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Nikolas Katsigiannis (HC Erlangen), Christian Dissinger (TuS N-Lübbecke), Torsten Jansen (HSV Hamburg), Alexander Williams (THW youth academy), Rogerio Moraes Ferreira (Vila Olimpica/Manoel Tubino/Brazil), Erlend Mamelund (Haslum HK), Dominik Plaue (THW youth academy)
Left the club: Aron Palmarsson (MKB Veszprem KC), Johan Sjöstrand (MT Melsungen), Andreas Palicka (Aalborg Handbold), Fynn Ranke (VfL Bad Schwartau), Rasmus Lauge (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Kim Sonne (GWD Minden), Filip Jicha (FC Barcelona (ESP))
Coach: Alfred Gislason (since 2008)
VELUX EHF Champions League records:
Participations (including 2015/2016 season): 19
Winner (3): 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12
Final (4): 1999/00, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2013/14
Semi Final (3): 1996/97, 2000/01, 2012/13, 2014/15 (each fourth ranked at the VELUX EHF FINAL4)
Quarterfinal (5): 1998/99, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2010/11
Group Phase (2): 1994/95, 1995/96
Other achievements:
EHF Cup: winner - 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04
German champion: 1957, 1962, 1963, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
German Cup winner: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
TEXT: Björn Pazen / bc
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