Zintel before a duel against old colleagues: HSG Nordhorn under pressure!

Zintel before a duel against old colleagues: HSG Nordhorn under pressure!

On Sunday, HSG Nordhorn-Lingen and ASV Hamm-Westfalen face each other in Emsland. For Björn Zintel, who moved from Hamm to Nordhorn in the summer, this duel will be particularly emotional as he will meet old teammates. Despite the pleasant personal connection, there is not a good mood among Zintel and his new team because the season started anything but successfully. With only 3:9 points, the HSG is far behind expectations in the table.

The summer was exciting for Zintel: He celebrated his wedding with many friends from the handball scene, including some former colleagues from ASV. Nevertheless, the anticipation of the upcoming game is characterized by a certain heaviness. “We are both suffering from a false start and urgently need to collect points,” explains the 28-year-old emphatically. The ASV did a little better with 6:6 points, but it is also far away from its expectations.

Conversations and connected experiences

Despite the difficulties of the current season, telephone connections between Zintel and his former teammates remain lively. “We talk about the game often, but not always,” he explains. "It's primarily about personal things. Sporting topics only come up occasionally." However, this lightheartedness is overshadowed by the explosiveness of the game, as both teams are in a critical phase. Another setback could have serious consequences for the morale and motivation of both teams.

However, HSG's challenges go beyond the points in the table. Although the team has strengthened itself with well-known players such as the former Croatian U19 world champion Luka Sokolic and goalkeeper Christian van der Merwe, there is still a lot of uncertainty in the squad. Zintel describes the psychological state of the team as “unsettled”. “It’s not easy when you come together for the first time and are immediately under pressure,” Zintel continued. “Harmony takes time.”

Expectations and reality

Expectations were always high in Nordhorn. The pressure on coach Mark Bult and his team is enormous, especially after the disastrous results in the last few games. “The fans are hoping for a quick turnaround,” says Zintel. At the same time, he emphasizes that those around him understand the situation and remain calm. "Here, the situation is assessed in a differentiated manner. Elsewhere I've often heard that businesses should be given up," he shakes his head.

Despite the negative experiences in the team and the ongoing difficulties, Zintel does not want to overestimate the pressure. “Just as quickly as we seem to be getting started, things can get better again,” he says optimistically. The team in Hamm also has its own injury problems that can affect performance. "That always makes an encounter unpredictable. Sometimes players who aren't normally on the floor can make the difference," Zintel is convinced.

The ASV squad, weakened by injuries, including Tom Jansen and Jakub Sterba, was only able to train to a limited extent this week. Coach Michael Hegemann therefore looks to Sunday with doubts, but also with hope. "Every game is crucial for our own style. Regardless of whether we are doing well or not – we have to hope for the best," said Hegemann.

Regardless of the current situation, it is important to collect the necessary points on Sunday. "We both have teams that have nothing to lose and will try everything. That makes it exciting," says Zintel, summing up the atmosphere before the duel.