With the match against Montenegro at 5.15 pm in the LIVETICKER, the mission for Germany starts to defend its title at the European Championship in Croatia. In an interview with SPOX, Kai Häfner talks about his memories of Poland’s coup, the chances in Croatia and national coach Christian Prokop.
SPOX: Mr. Häfner, at the EM 2016 you were sitting at home on the sofa. Then you were nominated, played big three times, were in the finals of the best German throwers – and a few days later you were welcomed and celebrated in your home town Schwäbisch Gmünd as a European Championship hero. What are your thoughts on this moment?
Kai Häfner: It all happened so quickly at the time and was therefore almost surreal. I was just trying to enjoy everything back then. It took a long time to really realize what happened in Poland. What my home town had organized for me, this reception on the balcony of the town hall, the entry in the Golden Book of the City, was breathtaking. Suddenly you are standing there, seeing many familiar faces celebrating with you, the family, the woman – this will remain an unforgettable moment for me forever.
SPOX: Is it really true that your medals, i. e. those from the European Championships and the Olympic Games in Rio, are hung in your parents’ living room at home?
Häfner: It used to be like that. In the meantime the medals are hanging at my place in Hannover and have their well-deserved place.
SPOX: After great success, there are always two possibilities. Either there is a certain feeling of satiety or you want more. How’s that going with you?
Häfner: For me, it is the second variant 100 percent. Once you have experienced something like the European Championship in Poland, you want to experience it again and again. It is an indescribable feeling to win a title – and then also with the national team. That title feeling made me a little addictive, I’d say. I am also aware, however, that it will be very difficult to repeat this.
SPOX: Not only for the DHB team as a whole, but also for you personally, the European Championship in Croatia will rise under different conditions than in 2016. You are now expected to be a top performer. How much could you take with you at TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, where you will work with great handball personalities under coach Antonio Carlos Ortega and co-trainer Iker Romero?
Häfner: Very much! I have taken another step forward among them. We are currently in third place in the Bundesliga with Hannover, which is a great intermediate result for us. These successes and the impetus from our new Spanish coach Carlos Ortega give us an extreme tailwind.
SPOX: As mentioned above, you are now a kind of leader. Is the hierarchy in the DHB team really as flat as one hears over and over again?
Häfner: Of course we also have a hierarchy in the team. In 2016 it was good to have a flat hierarchy. Nonetheless, there are some players who are in charge when it comes down to it and take control of the game. In any case, we don’t lack leaders.
SPOX: Who are these leaders?
Häfner: First and foremost Uwe Gensheimer. He is our leader, our captain, an absolute greatness – and for me the best left wing of the world. Nevertheless, everyone can and should say what they think. Everyone is called upon to make a contribution and to address things he or she notices.
SPOX: Is a clear hierarchy, as sometimes demanded, no longer up-to-date?
Häfner: I don’t know. The fact is that you cannot impose such a clear hierarchy on a team. This happens automatically within a team, especially during tournaments. I think it would be complete rubbish to appoint someone as leader.
SPOX: Let’s talk about the upcoming EM. What are the chances of defending the title in Croatia?
Häfner: We are definitely one of the favourites and we don’t have to hide from anyone. We are simply a mega-balanced team, which makes us difficult to calculate. In order to land the big coup, everything has to fit, but also a little bit of luck belongs to it. I don’t want to talk about defending the title right now. First of all, the goal is the semi-finals, then we’ll see what happens.
SPOX: It will be crucial to make it through the preliminary round without losing points. The DHB team has to prepare for a witch’s cauldron in Zagreb three times in the games against Montenegro, Slovenia and Macedonia, right?
Häfner: That’s my assumption. We are aware that there will be very intense, hard-fought games. The hall will be against us in all three games, so we have to prepare mentally for it. But we are certainly not afraid – on the contrary: It is a nice feeling when you can calm down the hall with a strong performance. That’s what we have to do, so that we can go into the main round with four points.
SPOX: At present, there is often talk about the lack of experience of national coach Christian Prokop. Is that also an issue for the team?
Häfner: Not at all. We don’t worry about that at all. The national coach compensates for this lack of experience with 100 other things.
SPOX: Who would be there?
Häfner: Christian Prokop brings even more commitment, shows even more commitment every minute he deals with our team and the opponents. There is also more video study and more analysis. I think that is a good thing, we will be excellently prepared.