Rostock is thrilled: Michael Jacobsen will be the new handball head coach!

Rostock is thrilled: Michael Jacobsen will be the new handball head coach!

A breath of fresh air is blowing at HC Empor Rostock: The club has now hired Michael Jacobsen as its new head coach. The Dane is the successor to Nicolaj Andersson, from whom the club separated after missing promotion to the 2nd Handball Bundesliga. “I see a lot of potential in HC Empor Rostock,” said Jacobsen, who was born in Copenhagen and grew up in Kokkedal. The club's tradition, loyal fans and strong youth work in particular convinced him to take on this challenge. Every word from Jacobsen shows his anticipation and determination to lead HC Empor back into the upper leagues of German handball and emphasizes that there are many opportunities to be actively involved in the club's development.

The new coach has a remarkable career. Jacobsen previously worked as the sporting director of the SG Flensburg-Handewitt youth academy and led the A-youth team to championship successes twice. In 2022 he moved to the Rhein-Neckar Löwen as an assistant coach, where he won the cup a year later. He has now announced his departure from the Lions in the summer of 2025 to take on the coaching role in Rostock. In addition to the head coach position, Jacobsen will also be responsible for youth coordination in the club - a task that suits him as he has a lot of experience working with young talent.

Start preparing

For the Rostock handball players, training will start on July 21st. Jacobsen and his team will then work on the tactical details and prepare for the new season. The first competitive game follows directly on August 15th in the cup against Eintracht Hagen. This match offers a first opportunity to show the new style of play under Jacobsen's leadership.

But current events are not just limited to coach retention. In an exciting cup game against HSG Nordhorn-Lingen on October 2nd, HC Empor Rostock celebrated a dramatic 42:40 victory after extra time after the game had ended at 33:33 in regular time. This performance catapults the Rostock team into the round of 16 of the cup competition, where they can prove themselves again on November 13th and 14th. The draw for the round of 16 will take place on October 3rd, after the game between HSV Hamburg and THW Kiel.

A total of 746 spectators were present in the Fiete-Reder-Halle. Substitute Marc Pechstein showed strong nerves and scored the equalizing goal at the final siren to make it 33:33. Both teams showed fighting spirit: Nordhorn-Lingen even led at times with 11:8 and 32:30, but HC Empor held on. Players like Alexander Schütze, who returned after an injury break, were able to make a decisive impact. Coach Nicolaj Andersson praised the mentality and fighting spirit of his players before opting for the seventh field player system in the final minutes.

It remains exciting to see how the new coach will contribute to the HC Empor performance center. What is certain is that Michael Jacobsen, with his experience and commitment, will have a good hand in taking the club forward in the coming season.

For further information and details about the team and current games, visit Ostsee-Zeitung and HC Empor.