The Murnau handball coach sees a tough next season for his team. Because not only Thomas Stanglmair ends his career, Matthias Köglmayr, Maximilian Mangold take this step, goalkeeper Michael Hostmann leaves the club
Murnau - Last year, 2019, after relegation, they went to Prague. And what you heard from the Murnau handball players, everyone thought the final trip was a fun affair. This year they planned another glittering trip. This time there was finally a championship title and a promotion to celebrate. The party tour was canceled.
"We have to be sensible," emphasizes coach Maximilian Dück. At the weekend, players and coaches agreed to an online rendezvous in their own living room. Everyone grabbed a cold drink, toasted into the camera. They spent the rest of the evening with a cozy chat. There is no more celebration in corona times. "I couldn't be so happy about no promotion," says coach Dück. The replacement party is to follow in summer. As soon as that is allowed. It is not easy to keep the distance rules at such a party, jokes Dück.
His brother submitted the binding decision of the Bavarian Handball Association on Saturday. Hannes Bräu, colleague and trainer of local rival TSV Partenkirchen, sent Dück the final table afterwards - calculated according to the quotient rule (points per game). With an average of 1.33 points, Murnau and Sonthofen are in first place. The direct comparison speaks for the TSV, the new master of the regional league Alpine foreland. Surprisingly, even the third, the TSV Ottobeu-ren II, climbs up. A pan to Partenkirchen, which are now unlucky, must be allowed. One point was missing for a historical event. The TSVP has never competed in the district league. "Insanity, simply insanity", the club commented on the final ranking on the Facebook page. Those responsible could not believe their good results themselves.
Dück, of course, prefers to look at his own and states: "We are the lucky ones in a homogeneous league." Eight teams took part in the beating and jump-off for promotion and relegation. Three got through.
But the critics' prophecies of doom have long since reached him. Logical that they came. "With our second half of the season, you do not have to climb up, others claim," says Dück. The leader achieved only two victories in two months. He continued to draw on his almost perfect series (ten wins, one defeat).
Now the team also loses three leading figures. Thomas Stanglmair (we reported), defense boss Matthias Köglmayr and ex-captain Maximilian Mangold end their careers. Mangold has been struggling with injuries for years, Köglmayr is so busy at work that he has rarely made it into training. With goalkeeper Michael Hostmann, a fourth leaves Murnau. His goal: unknown. He missed almost the entire second half for health reasons.
Dück has been looking for replacements for a long time. He asked himself in the region, advertised in Partenkirchen, Schongau and Bad Tölz, among others. With manageable success. He found two interested people. The trainer is still negotiating with them. In order to head for the district league without any worries, "we would need one or two more additions". But Dück emphasizes: "There are no prospects."
There were some rumors in the scene about Valentin Müller. But he stays with the local rival TSVP. "It is difficult to convince people of the project," says Dück. Murnau follows the Murnauer Weg. Your own men have to fix it. The coach does not use Stanglmair's emergency services, which he has promised the cult figure. The time for the emergency services is over. "There is no trickery anymore."
Murnau are currently maintaining their fitness level with running and strength units. The view of the derby with Weilheim inspires. "There will be a lot going on." With the ascent, his team had "reached the next level". In three years he had returned the TSV to its original place. In the district league. Dück considers relegation to be "very difficult, but not impossible". His clear conclusion: "Now handball begins."
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