A social worker wants to annoy the Czech giants

Getting out the optimal, stabilizing the defense and achieving a positive result are the elementary goals of national coach Maik Handschke. These are to be implemented in the two upcoming areas of the European Championship qualification for 2026 on Wednesday from 6.45 p.m. against the Czech Republic and four days later in the Croatian Rijeka.

After two different appearances against Belgium, a defeat (22:32) at home and the first victory in the neighboring country in Hasselt (27:24), the coaches have proclaimed new goals. « We lost the first leg in the Czech Republic with six goals, showed good handball and made progress, especially in the defense area. The home game is now about being explosive in the duels, minimizing the technical errors in attack and avoiding speed counterfeits, » says Handschke.

Against World Cup participant Czech Republic, which has long been established in the extended top group of European handball, it is about a good result, but also about stabilizing the services at a higher level. « We have to be patient in attack, move the central block of the Czechs at the speed and be focused in the degrees, » the German says his plan against the « human wall » in the Czech defense block.

If you have overcome the almost gun -like middle block around the Bundesliga players Stepan Zeman, Daniel Blaha and Stanislav Kasperek, all of whom have heights of 1.98 m and more, the goalkeeper from THW Kiel is waiting in the box with Tomas Mrkva, which also measures more than two meters.

Bringing the middle block in motion and pulling apart with quick attack campaigns, this also sees Joé Schuster a tried and tested means to achieve an acceptable result in the second leg. « We expect a hard defense work with Zeman in the inner block against the Czechs. We have to try to get the defense with fast intersections in motion, » explains the defensive specialist, who is still under contract with the SGSH Dragons in the third German league until the summer.

The 24-year-old had missed the past duel with his opponent because of an injury. « I was not there in the last course against the Czech Republic due to a cruciate ligament tear suffered in January 2024, » recalls Schuster. Nevertheless, he knows about the severity of the task. « We need an outstanding goalkeeper performance, a gripy and aggressively acting defense and efficiency in attack, » explains the defensive player, who has been able to go through again without any problems since September last year.

New ways

Schuster only missed the first two season games in Schalksmühle. The Luxembourg and the handball players from the Sauerland have already reached the season goal with the stay in the third division. At the coming season, however, Schuster will return to the regional league team Northeimer HC. « We want to consolidate tenth place, so I can go back to Northeim with a good feeling in summer, » he emphasizes his remaining ambitions.

The change has purely professional reasons. « I have completed my bachelor’s degree with state recognition as a social worker and will tackle a master’s degree from October. For the international matches against the Czech Republic and Croatia, I would like to prove that I can take my chance and help the team, whether in defense or in the circle. »

As Schuster emphasizes, you have nothing to lose and you can play without pressure. This includes generating as precisely as possible so as not to run in counterattack. « We want to repeat the good performance in the game in Belgium and therefore have to act as a collective. In the attack, we can crack them one time or another, » the defense specialist is certain.

As trainer Handschke shows, Sam Richard is not at the start due to a foot injury that will have an operation. The back room player and defensive man will leave the HG Saarloius in summer towards the North German third division club Altenholz and open his tents near Kiel.