On Thursday it’s all happening again in the Barclays Arena: The Handball Sport Verein Hamburg (HSVH) is starting its second Bundesliga season after returning to the elite league. Eight players have said goodbye to coach Torsten Jansen’s promotion team, and three new faces are to attack alongside talented youngsters. First opponent is the top team of SG Flensburg Handewitt. WELT spoke to goalkeeper Johannes “Jogi” Bitter about the starting position.
WORLD: Mr. Bitter, your 20th season as a goalkeeper in the Bundesliga begins on Thursday with your 593rd mission. How does that sound to you?
Johannes Bitter: That sounds pretty good because it shows that I’ve been performing at a high level over a long period of time. And I have to say that my experience is definitely an advantage. I’ve known all the major shooters in the league for a long time – that’s a plus.
WORLD: The HSVH ended the last season in 14th place. What was good and what annoyed you?
Bitter: A lot was very good. Despite a relatively small budget (around 4 million euros; ed.) we were able to annoy and even beat big teams in the first half of the season. We got into a flow and were therefore no longer afraid of the descent relatively quickly. But it’s also true that our opponents knew us better in the second half of the season and we only scored ten points.
WORLD: Was that also due to the injury to playmaker Leif Tissier eight games before the end?
Bitter: That was definitely a point. He’s fundamental to our game and his absence hurt us. With Dani Baijens we now have a second very strong player in the middle. This makes us less predictable.
WORLD: With Baijens, left-hander Jacob Lassen and circle runner Andreas Magaard, only three new field players have come. Is the quality of the team still higher?
Bitter: I think so. The squad was broader last year, but I have the impression that we have strengthened in certain areas. Jacob is a great handball player, but he’s playing abroad for the first time and we have to give him time to get used to the permanent toughness of the Bundesliga.
WORLD: So HSVH’s goal for the season is a safe place in midfield?
Bitter: No. The goal is to stay in the league. We can’t talk about more. To declare otherwise would be arrogant and inappropriate.
WORLD: Last season there were two significant defeats against the opening opponent from Flensburg. Is the SG a size too big?
Bitter: Flensburg is definitely strong again, but there are always surprises in the Bundesliga. Especially on a first matchday, when everyone isn’t fully settled yet. We want to trip them up with our fans behind us.
WORLD: It’s your birthday the next day. You will be 40…
Bitter: Yes. If we actually win, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating properly. The night can be long!
WORLD: Speaking of “celebrate”. SC Magdeburg became German champion with 64:4 points. How do you rate the walkthrough?
Bitter: They positioned themselves at the top early on and were incredibly stable. Even if coach Bennet Wiegert always appeared very modest – that was a demonstration. And I trust Magdeburg to defend the title. They are now at their peak and have gained even more self-confidence. In addition, the competition from Kiel has to do without two strong players due to injuries.
WORLD: Not only do you prevent conceded goals at HSVH, but you are also involved behind the scenes as an advisor on important issues. What makes the club special?
Bitter: Especially his success story. Getting off the ground after bankruptcy and getting back up so quickly is impressive. Everyone has learned from what went wrong in the past. We are more modest, we take smaller steps, but on a solid basis. Not wanting too much quickly suits us.
WORLD: Will we see you again in the goal of the national team?
Bitter: I don’t think so. The fact that I stepped in at short notice for the EM in January was due to the Corona cases and the promise to help in an emergency. To be honest, the whole European Championship was pretty bizarre and wasn’t fun because we could only be in our room outside of training and games. It is now the responsibility of others.
WORLD: You have known Torsten Jansen, your trainer in Hamburg, for over 15 years. Are you actually friends?
Friendship is a big word. Of course we’re friends, even if we used to be even closer than we are today, on the player-to-player level. We shared a room with the national team, laughed about the same things and to this day we can absolutely rely on each other. But everyone also has a private life and a lot on their plate. Toto has four children, I have four children. There’s no question that we’re friends, but more importantly we have a similar understanding of how to maximize the success of the club.
