"I must learn to renounce" (2)

Gold medal in Beijing, Champions League winner and a „flood“ of other titles: Nikola Karabatic feels like the most happy handball player in the world. But the 24 years old player finds borders at the height of his fame. In an exclusive interview for Handball Magazin, the Player of the Year talks about THW Kiel, physical „explatation“ and his family ties.

In Schönkirchen, some kilometers away from Kiel, the stars from THW take regularly care of them in a spa. They relaxe after the game against Großwallstadt. And lift a couple of dumb-bell. The Olympic Champion Nikola Karabatic (24) must spectate at it. The French is injured and in the same time bothered by inflamed tonsils. But he allows himself a short run workout. He must get fit for the next fights for the title.

HM: You reiterated the idea that the rythym of the playing system is ill. Do you still hope that you will see an improvement on this issue during your career?

Karabatic:No, I don´t. Maybe I could play ten years if the rhythym of the games will be improved. Or I have to leave to Bundesliga, because the burden is otherwise too big. Or I have to give up to the National Team. The IHF and EHF discussed about the fact, but they established that before 2012 nothing will be changed, wonｴt it? Every season there are more matches. Champions League, European Championships Qualifications, Olympic Games Qualifications, nobody think about players health. Certainly is beautiful that there are so many handball games and the people can see a lot of them, but sometime it will be too much. The players pay for it. We must found an association, who can offer us influence and who can protect us. Otherwise nothing will change.

HM: Is this complaint legitimate? Anyway, you earn a lot of many also due to the multiplicity of the games.

Karabatic: But it is not extemely much money for the sports. If we have had the football players salaries, it would be no problem. Who performs for the top clubs in the Bundesliga risks his health. And the risk is too high.

HM: You are under contract with Kiel until 2012 and together with it tied into the rat race.
Karabatic: I want to play as long as possible and to take part to every competition. One can always buy a player out of his contract. For the moment I feel well in Kiel, but I start from zero here.

HM: And?
Karabatic: Wenn everything goes well, there is no reason to go away.

HM: Will this be a very important season during you will pay more attention to the offers from Spain?
Karabatic: Yes, of course. But anyway I will play in Kiel the next two years. This is my team, I have many friends there and this is close to my heart. What happened was a disappoitment for me, but I will give everything in order to go well futher. THW Kiel is my club and my team. I gave so much of me, of my body and of my head in order to be successful here and that the team does well.

HM: You won new friends in Kiel, but surely you are also a heart-throb in the town.
Karabatic: The life in Kiel is difficult. The city is not so big. There are not many parties for young people. If you go out two, three times you are famous. There are many envious people. The people talk a lot.

HM: Is Kiel perhaps too small to talk to a woman and to be interpretated that you have a tight relationship to her?
Karabatic: Yes, so is it. I didnï½´t live this in France. It is an odd feeling. In Kiel you have to take care what you do. You canï½´t allow yourself so much as by a party in France.

HM: Do you have a girlfriend in this moment?
Karabatic: No comment.

HM: Then tell us something about your family.
Karabatic: My father, my mother and my brother Luka are despite the distance to Montpellier the most important persons in my life. They give me a lot of power and self-confidence. We are like a clan, we phone every day.

HM: Is Montpellier a constant place for summer holiday?
Karabatic: Yes, even if I would gladly fly to a island. Or to United States, I didnï½´t see it until now, but I have just a bit of spare time in the summer and I use it to see my family. This means holiday to me.

HM: Which are the most beautiful things for you at home?
Karabatic: When Luka and I are at our parents place. 20 kilometres away from Montpellier in a small house with pool and everything what one needs. Whatï½´s beautiful? My father barbecues, we sit together and we talk. We enjoy so rare these moments. In meantime I bought a flat in Montpellier, where my brother lives. And when we party, then we donï½´t have to drive home. This is very cool.

HM: Is it your biggest dream to play together with Luka in one team? Karabatic: We learnt and played tennis together, when I was still able to do it. Luka was eight years old. After that, he was too good for me and I didnï½´t want to challenge him anymore because he always won and I was too upset about it. Luka has played again handball since one year, he is pivot and he does it not at all badly. He works a lot in Montpellier, he has already played in the Junior National Team and owns talent and perspective. I am happy because I have such a dream. Maybe it works in two, three years with us in the same team.

HM: Can it happen in Kiel?
Karabatic: It will be difficult. We have Marcus and Igor. And Milutin Dragicevic will come in 2010.

HM: Is the life comfortable for Luka as the smaller Karabatic ?
Karabatic: I think it is pretty difficult, but he is an intelligent young man. He will donï½´t have problems with it and will make his own way. Luka began with again handball as fun, tennis meant too much pressure.

HM: Luka and Nikola Karabatic participants at the Olympic Games 2012 in London...
Karabatic: Why not? This is possible. Luka will be 24, a good age.

HM: How do you spent your life out of the field?
Karabatic: I have my own website, I want to expand it with a chat. The fans have already the possibilty to leave me messages, even if to answer everybody. Together with Vid and Igor I play gladly playstation.

HM: And except that?
Karabatic: I am interested in art. Or I go shopping in Hamburg, but I canï½´t wear too oft my clothes in Kiel. When the people here see different stuff on someone, they look at you and almost laugh about you. If I could, I will wear a suit every day. I find Hamburg really cool. One can do a lot there. To party, to go shopping.

HM: If the HSV´s boss Andreas Rudolph callls you, would you take into consideration a potential offer?
Karabatic: No idea. I like Hamburg. They have a really good team, but Iif I would leave Kiel for Hamburg, the people here will kill me. For the moment in the Bundesliga for me it exists only THW. I am no player who changes often the teams. I need a club with whom I can identify mself, in whose values and history I believe. Kiel is such a club. And in Europe this is valuable only for FC Barcelona.

HM: How can we imagine Nikola K.´s life after his career will end?
Karabatic: „I will do nothing for one, two years, apart of travelling. The best would be a world tour with my brother. What kind of profession would I have? I donｴt know it yet, but I have so many ideas in my head. I think I would not be the worst coach, but I donｴt know if I will remain in handball. I was professional with 18. After my career I would like to have collected enough money so that with 35 to have enough safety and to be able to say: I do what I want – without pressure.