(Un)informed Handball Hour
Politikk og nyheterSportWelcome to the (Un)informed Handball Hour. A handball podcast, brought to you by Chris O'Reilly, Brian Campion and Alex Kulesh joined by a range of wonderful guests.
Siste episoder av (Un)informed Handball Hour podcast
- Episode 301 - Bundesliga chat with Björn Pazen on Berlin's woes, Kiel are back and Magdeburg look unstoppable (01:01:10)
As is tradition, we dive into our full Bundesliga coverage with a few rounds under the belt to get a feel for what's actually happening in handball's strongest domestic league. Björn Pazen joins us to discuss the contrasting fortunes of the league's top dogs and who might emerge as this season's surprise package.
- Episode 300 - Celebrating 300 episodes with Brian Campion's comeback, comparing the handball landscape now to when we began (00:48:58)
We launch the new handball season with a celebratory episode, reaching episode 300 of the podcast! In the eight years since we began, the handball world has changed a lot, so we look back at our first episodes to compare and contrast how things were and where we are today. Plus, we welcome Brian Campion back to the mic to celebrate with us.
- The Morning Club - 5 September: Emergency pod as Berlin is rocked (00:29:23)
As if the Bundesliga needs drama like this to garner attention! In one of the sport's most shocking turn of events in years, if not ever, Stefan Kretzschmar and Jaron Siewert have departed Fuchse Berlin. We dive into the timeline, the background and plenty more as we come to terms with a this news in an emergency morning club.
- The Morning Club - 4 August: Anja Althaus on taking on Tobias Reichmann and the state of women's handball in Germany, part 1 (00:18:54)
With HB Ludwigsburg filing for insolvency just over a year after reaching the Champions League final, the women's handball community has been dealt another major blow. Following Tobias Reichmann's column stated that women's handball should dream less, accept the reality and lower expectations, former German international and current team manager Anja Althaus bit back and led the charge in calling him out. We speak to Anja in the first of a two-part interview about the reaction and the state of women's handball in Germany. Part 2 is available on Tuesday for everyone on patreon.com/handballhour
- Episode 299 - Beach handball special with Severin Henrich, Labrina Tsakalou, Liam Harrison and Gabriella Horvath (01:02:48)
During and after the beach handball EURO in Türkiye, Chris had the chance to speak to an array of fascinating people in the beach handball community, to get their thoughts on the latest major championship, their personal perspectives and the sport in a wider sense. We hear from Germany's gold medal winner Severin Henrich, Greece's Labrina Tsakalou, Malta's Liam Harrison and EHF Beach Handball Commission Chairwoman Gabriella Horvath.
- The Morning Club - 11 July: Tales from the Beach Handball EURO with Malta's Liam Harrison and EHF's Gabriella Horvath (00:23:05)
We're in Türkiye for the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025 and with the tournament at the halfway mark, it's a great time to check in with a couple of the protagonists. Liam Harrison is making his EURO debut with Malta and speaks about the experience so far, how the national team and sport have developed at home and what his hopes are for the future. Gabriella Horváth is both an EHF Executive Committee Member and the Hungarian Handball Federation Secretary General, so she gives some thoughts on the tournament as a whole and her home nation in the first part of our interview with her. Part 2 will be featured in a wider review of the tournament and a look at the sport as a whole next week.
- Episode 298 - Mighty Mittun, Faroes grab major medal, the modern handball players shape and CL group draws (00:34:02)
We look back at the Men's Junior World Championship and the lessons it has taught us about the present and future stars of the sport, plus we unpack the Champions League group phase draw.
- Episode 297 - Echoes of 2023 as Zombie Magdeburg emerge victorious (00:34:51)
SC Magdeburg are Champions League winners and while they may have made it look easy on Sunday, they've done it the hard way this season. We look back at their triumph over Berlin in the final and how they got there, from a losing record in the group phase, squeaking past Veszprém and Barca and the subtle but massive improvements since last year.
- Episode 296 - Men's EHF FINAL4 preview with Björn Pazen, Vincent Gerard's Barça adventure (01:00:47)
The biggest weekend of the handball calendar is upon us and we celebrate with a big preview of the showdown in Cologne with Björn Pazen and an interview with Vincent Gerard. The Champions League winner and Olympic gold medallist retired after Paris 2024 and battling through a tough season to even get there, but accepted the call from Barça after their own injury problems between the posts. We speak to Vincent about his unexpected comeback, returning to this level, the hardships of last year and what it takes to come out on top in Cologne. With Björn, we dive into the four contenders and Saturday's semi-finals. How will Berlin react after claiming a historic first Bundesliga title and is Mathias Gidsel on the verge of the greatest single season in handball? Can Nantes upset the favourites and reignite the fine tradition of surprise winners? We discuss how reigning champions Barça will shape up after their routine end to the domestic season. And will we see Zombie Magdeburg strike once again with Gisli Kristjannson, or can they go all the way with Felix Claar at the wheel?
- The Morning Club - 6 June: Finals everywhere, Sporting's big statement, Lewis Howes chasing dreams (00:16:10)
This is a teaser of our latest Morning Club episode, which is available in full exclusively on patreon.com/handballhour It's the wonderful time of the season where we're treated to multi-game league finals in countries like Hungary, Poland and Denmark, which are serving up plenty of drama and entertainment. Ahead of their impending first league title, Berlin announced a spicy new signing but the biggest transfer news is the transfers that won't be happening as Sporting hold on to Costa, Costa and Salvador Salvador. Plus we react to the first episode of entrepreneur and returning handball player Lewis Howes documentary as he chases his Olympic dreams at the age of 42.
- Episode 295 - Györ on top again, Lunde's magic, semi-final curse unbroken (00:33:57)
Györ are the queens of Europe once again following a weekend where they did not trail for a single minute. We look at their journey to gold and where they had the edge over their Danish opponents, bask in the brilliant glow of Katrine Lunde and wonder where it all went wrong for the two teams still haunted by the semi-final curse.
- Episode 294 - Women's EHF FINAL4 preview with Bruna de Paula, Adrian Costeiu and Danijela Vekic (00:43:18)
It's time to discover the best women's team in Europe and we look forward to the FINAL4 by chatting to reigning champion Bruna de Paula as she and Györ aim to defend their crown in Budapest. We get Danijela Vekic and Adrian Costeiu together for the first time on the pod to discuss the four contenders, considering what makes Györ favourites again, how newcomers Odense will be a threat and whether Esbjerg or Metz can end their semi-final curse.
- Episode 293 - Moller's MVP weekend in Hamburg, Palmarsson retires (00:46:07)
Flensburg retained their European League title over the weekend, thanks in no small part to a dominant performance by Kevin Møller in goal. We look back at the action and where the title was won and lost. Aron Palmarsson has announced his retirement at the age of 34, is this kind of player a dying breed? We discuss this and the postponed European Cup final in Skopje.
- Episode 292 - Dainis Kristopans on his long and winding handball road and fighting for titles with Melsungen (00:49:45)
It's a massive week in the history of MT Melsungen as they compete for a European League title this weekend in Hamburg, then head to Berlin for a Bundesliga title eliminator on Thursday, so who better to speak about it than their biggest man - Dainis Krištopāns. We speak to Dainis about his unusual journey in handball, from Latvia via Slovakia, his development as an all-round player, the greatest weekend with Vardar in 2019 and why his inner-underdog led him to his current home in Melsungen. We also look forward to the title run-in in Germany and this weekend's EHF Finals, where Melsungen take on Flensburg, Montpellier and Kiel.
- Episode 291 - Countdown to Cologne commences (00:46:46)
Now that we know the semi-final lineup for the FINAL4, the countdown to Cologne can truly begin. We discuss both those who made it and fell at the final hurdle, plus Chris' own injury that will require no late-season replacements.
- The Morning Club - 25 April: Quarter-finals deliver the goods, men's and women's CL chat with Danijela Vekic (00:21:46)
Berlin and Barça put one foot on the train to Cologne thanks to world-class performances from their star right backs, while two quarter-final ties remain delicately poised. Danijela Vekic joins us to look back at the midweek matches and ahead to the second leg matches in the Women's Champions League. This is a teaser of the episode with the full show and every Morning Club episode available on patreon.com/handballhour
- Episode 290 - Sporting chasing history and more quarter-final fun with Marcio Menino live from Nantes (00:31:18)
The Men's Champions League Quarter-finals are upon us and we look forward to them with Marcio Menino, who is in Nantes as Sporting look to make history. Is this finally Veszprém's year? Do Barça have reasons to be nervous? Can Gidsel avoid the fate of Denmark's previous great? These questions and more are pondered in your preview podcast.
- Episode 289 - Veronika Malá talks Ludwigsburg's revenge and trick shots, Kiel's cup hangover and Barça stumble (00:39:22)
Ludwigsburg winger Veronika Malá joins us ahead of a big quarter-final weekend in the Women's Champions League, where her side take on Györ in a repeat of last year's final. As well as looking ahead to the weekend's games, we reflect on Kiel's cup triumph, followed by a loss to Berlin and visit Spain, where Barça have suffered a pair of rare losses, putting their title celebrations on hold.
- Episode 288 - Champions League play-offs recap with Sascha Staat and Kevin Domas (00:42:37)
The play-off round of the EHF Champions League concludes tonight and with the unusual situation of the round being filled with clubs from Europe's top two leagues, we get some French and German perspectives from Kevin Domas and Sascha Staat to break down what we've seen an look forward to some more tasty encounters to come.
- Episode 287 - The Bucharest derby and more women's playoff fun with Adrian Costeiu (00:36:16)
Knockout handball is here! The road to Budapest and the Women's EHF FINAL4 begins with the play-off round this weekend and we chat to Adrian Costeiu with two tight contests and a Romanian derby to look forward to.
- Episode 286 - Champions League round up, discover the Emerging Nations and EURO games to watch this week (00:53:31)
The group phase of the Men's Champions League has come to an end, so we rate the competition to date. Handball hipsters gather round for the IHF Emerging Nations, where handball worlds truly collide, plus we give you the five EHF EURO qualifiers you should watch this week.
- The Morning Club - 7 March: Heidi Warren and Mark Hawkins on the eve of Great Britain's EURO qualifiers campaign (00:23:46)
Just under a year ago, Great Britain's women were thrown into the spotlight with a surprise wildcard into the Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Since then, the team has pressed on behind the scenes and begin their EHF EURO 2026 Qualification campaign this weekend against Bosnia Herzegovina and Estonia. Home-grown talent Heidi Warren and coach Mark Hawkins, 2012 Olympian and one of our very first guests, join us to look back at their journey so far and ahead to the weekend. This morning club episode was originally published on Thursday on patreon.com/handballhour. Join us to enjoy these shows weekly.
- Episode 285 - DJ Gidsel stays in Berlin, Sagosen's Aalborg return (00:36:18)
Mathias Gidsel has committed his future to Fuchse Berlin and gets a nice pay rise for his loyalty. Is a residency at Berghain part of the deal for DJ Gidsel and will his star sidekick join him? Sander Sagosen has decided to leave the Kolstad project and return to the scene of his big breakthrough. Can he rediscover his form at Aalborg and where do Kolstad go from here?
- Men's World Championship 2025 - Final review: Unstoppable Denmark, reactions from Jørgensen and Šoštarić, status among the sport's greatest teams (00:39:39)
In our final review, we look back at Denmark's dominant final win over Croatia and where that puts them among the sport's top teams of all time. We also hear from Denmark's Lukas Jørgensen and Croatia's Mario Šoštarić on the fiery gold medal clash. Our traditional Alternative Awards are out at the end of the week on Patreon, where the real MVPs are celebrated through the likes of the Swiss Army Knife and Adrian Sipos awards.
- Men's World Championship 2025 - 30 January: Tears, drama and buzzer-beaters galore in the Quarter-finals with Danijela Vekic, Thibaut Briet and Marcio Menino (00:46:36)
Men's World Championship 2025 - 30 January: Tears, drama and buzzer-beaters galore in the Quarter-finals with Danijela Vekic, Thibaut Briet and Marcio Menino