TVB Stuttgart in crisis: Can the Häfner brothers turn things around?

TVB Stuttgart in crisis: Can the Häfner brothers turn things around?

The situation at handball Bundesliga team TVB Stuttgart is tense. After recent defeats against HC Erlangen and SG BBM Bietigheim, the team was unable to initiate the hoped-for turnaround in the relegation battle. Coach Jürgen Schweikardt sees the pressure of the situation as clearly noticeable, especially in the early stages of the games, even though he emphasizes that he is not at a loss and has tried everything to get the team back on track. In the current season, the TVB has only been able to record two wins so far, with a number of injury-related absences, including Kai Häfner with stomach problems and the absence of Torben Matzken after a horse kiss, further weakening the team. According to Stuttgarter Nachrichten the club is still aiming aims to reach tenth place and sees the personnel line-up as good for the second division.

The next home game against Füchse Berlin is considered particularly challenging. However, the club's long-term prospects appear to be more stable, even in the event of relegation. Jürgen Schweikardt explained that this could cause a “crack in development” but would not cause “long-term damage”. The club's budget is currently around 6.5 million euros, which makes it difficult to compare with other teams because the expenditure on sports is distributed differently.

Brothers' duel in the Porsche Arena

A special duel is coming up in the Porsche Arena on Thursday. Max Häfner, TVB's longest-serving player, meets his older brother Kai Häfner, who plays for MT Melsungen. The brothers have never played on a team together since they were young, and both said in an interview that they hope to be able to be on the field together in the future. Max Häfner moved to TVB Stuttgart in 2017 and brings experience and a fighting spirit into the game, while Kai Häfner, who played one season for TVB Bittenfeld 17 years earlier, now represents the Melsunger colors. According to the report from ZVW, the encounter promises to be an exciting event.

The role of sports psychology in handball

The challenges in professional handball require not only athletic skills, but also mental strength. This was also discussed at the most recent asp conference 2023 in Stuttgart, where Henning Thrien, sports psychologist, and André Haber, former head coach, presented their experiences and methods in the field of sports psychology. They emphasized that in practice there is not enough talk about failure and dealing with pressure, which is essential for a team's success. The insights from their long-term collaboration at SC DHfK Leipzig could also be important for the situation at TVB Stuttgart. According to Die Sportpsychologen, sport psychology definitely has a future in handball.

Difficult times lie ahead for TVB Stuttgart, whose development and future successes depend heavily on team spirit and a positive mental attitude. The next games will be crucial to finish the season in the best light.