Heiner Brand

“The preparation time is very limited, which means that we have to be focused in order to survive in this very strong group. Our first goal must be getting to the Main Round, and then we can take it from match to match. I hope that my team can match the achievements shown at the last World Championship and maybe a show of improvement is possible.”

Heiner Brand is at the top of his class when it comes to being a successful leader. The former national player has been at the helm of the German national team since 1997 and is the only person in handball history to win the world handball championship both as a player (1978) and as a coach (2007).

Brand’s success has been well recorded; no other trainer of the men’s national team can rival the achievements that this man has brought to the Handball Federation of Germany. Although Olympic success eluded him during his active career, he was the assistant coach to Simon Schobel and together the second Olympic medal (silver) was won by Germany. Twenty years later, Brand led the German to another silver triumph during the 28th Olympiad held in Athens. On a European level, Brand took the team from bronze to silver to gold. In addition to holding the record for being named Handball Trainer of the Year (5 times) and being a published author, Heiner also appears on the cover of the Handball Manager 2008 game.