08.01.2018, 05:25
Three centre backs who can make a difference

PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR #3: Playmakers are often decisive for success for a handball team, and Sander Sagosen, Rasmus Lauge and Mate Lekai certainly are key players for their countries at the EHF EURO 2018

Three centre backs who can make a difference

Many playmakers will get in the spotlights at the EHF EURO 2018. But only a few will really stand out.

Norway’s Sander Sagosen, Denmark’s Rasmus Lauge and Hungary’s Mate Lekai are three centre backs who are likely to make a difference at the event in Croatia.

Sander Sagosen, Norway

Playing for Haslum HK in his native Norway at the age of 18, several experts predicted that Sander Sagosen would become one of the best handball players in the world.

Now 22 and playing in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain Handball, Sagosen has proved those experts right. Sagosen spent three years with Aalborg Handbold in Denmark to get ready for the ultimate top of international handball.

At Aalborg, he was mainly used as a left back. But at PSG, he is changing between the back and the playmaker position, and this versatility has brought him more court time already in his first season in Paris than many people were expecting.

In the Norwegian national team, however, there is no doubt about Sagosen’s role: he is the playmaker. It is his job to organise and orchestrate his team’s attacking play while being dangerous himself at the same time.

Sagosen has been extremely good at working with his enormous talent, and meanwhile masters virtually all aspects of the game. He is technically skilled and tactically bright, and he has a great eye for his teammates. Also, he is good at seeing his own chances while he possesses a wide range of shots.

As a bonus, he is a solid and uncompromising defender, as well.

Rasmus Lauge, Denmark

Having missed the World Championship back in January due to injury, Rasmus Lauge is likely to be even keener on success for himself and the Danish team this time. During his two years with SG Flensburg-Handewitt so far, the playmaker has become just as crucial for the Northern German side as for the Danish national team.

Having started his career at Danish top club Bjerringbro-Silkeborg, he joined THW Kiel in 2013 after four years in the Danish league. After two years with THW, he made the unusual step to move 70 kilometres to the north and join THW’s arch rivals, Flensburg. This move was a success from the start.

In the VELUX EHF Champions League as well is in the Bundesliga, Lauge has developed into an absolute key player for Flensburg, and during the same period his value for his country has increased accordingly.

He possesses all the qualities a modern playmaker must possess. He is fast in his thinking as well as in his movement, he has a great eye for the game and for his teammates, he has a great shot and is good at breakthroughs. He is also reliable with penalties.

A coach can hardly ask for more from a playmaker.

Mate Lekai, Hungary

There has been a lot of talk about Hungary being without Laszlo Nagy at the EHF EURO. However, the Hungarians have been in that situation before, and it would probably have been worse if they had to miss Mate Lekai.

But luckily, the 29-year-old playmaker from Hungary’s flagship side Veszprém is fit and likely to provide a great performance in Croatia.

Lekai has become even more crucial to his club team after Icelandic playmaker Aron Palmarsson left for Barcelona. And for Hungary, he is as essential as ever. He played a great part in Hungary reaching the quarter-finals at the World Championship in France last year and in his nation’s qualification for the EHF EURO.

A good playmaker in modern top handball has to have a great eye for the game and for his teammates.

Furthermore, he has to be dangerous himself and be able to seek his own chance. Finally, he has to be able to find the right balance of when to make use of which of those qualities.

Mate Lekai possesses all the right qualities and the talent for finding that right balance.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / ew / ts