Joke before change? Kretzschmar warns: Things can't go on like this!

Joke before change? Kretzschmar warns: Things can't go on like this!

The situation surrounding national handball player Luca Witzke is currently causing a stir. The 26-year-old, who moved from SC DHfK Leipzig to SG Flensburg-Handewitt in the summer, is faced with an unsatisfactory playing time. After two games he only had 7:17 minutes on the scoresheet, which led to a mood of crisis within the team and also among the fans. Coach Ales Pajovic has made it clear that Witzke needs to build trust, but amid the unrest surrounding the team, which started without a win, he has already asked for a conversation with Flensburg's sports director Ljubomir Vranjes in order to obtain immediate approval. Witzke is concerned about his lack of playing time and the associated concerns about a possible nomination for the 2026 European Championship, according to sportbild.de.

In a heated discussion, handball legend Stefan Kretzschmar commented on Witzke's situation. He cannot understand the player's desire to change. “He had to know when he signed the contract that he couldn’t hope for 40 to 45 minutes of playing time right from the start,” explains Kretzschmar. Kretzschmar is also not impressed by the fact that Witzke was able to score five goals in a game against GWD Minden, especially because Witzke is clearly under pressure in the debate compared to the more self-critical Marko Grgic. Kretzschmar demands long-term assertiveness from Witzke at SG Flensburg-Handewitt in order to meet the sporting requirements. This is reported by handball-world.news.

The background to the crisis

However, the problems at SG Flensburg-Handewitt are not only due to Witzke's lack of playing time. Overall, the team got off to a disappointing start and are not making friends with their winless record. The situation at Füchse Berlin is also tense, especially after the resignations of former sports director Kretzschmar and coach Jaron Siewert. These developments bring additional unrest into the league, which has already become a crisis point after just two match days, for which the teams' sporting failure is also responsible.

At the same time, MT Melsungen are struggling with their injury problems: backcourt player Vlad Kulesh was seriously injured in a narrow defeat and will be out for several weeks. This could offer Witzke another perspective as Melsungen shows interest in his situation in Flensburg. This could make the match even more intense, as the competition for the coveted positions in the league remains high and each player represents an important piece of the puzzle for his team.

Sports psychology in handball

A look beyond sporting performance shows that the mental state of the players is also crucial. As sports psychologist Henning Thrien and head coach André Haber explained at their last event, the importance of sports psychology in handball is often underestimated. The two former employees of the SC DHfK Leipzig emphasized in a workshop that the topic of “work, impact and failure” should receive more attention in practice. Their findings could be important for Witzke and other affected players as they try to thrive in a medium-challenging environment. Witzke's challenge is not only physical, but also psychological, and everyone involved should not forget that - the pressure on him is growing.

The coming weeks will show whether Witzke can find his place in SG Flensburg-Handewitt or whether he will make his wish for a move come true. Handball remains exciting and everyone's eyes are on the developments.