The two worst placements at a world championship connect the two coaching legends.
In 2011, Heiner Brand's era in the German Handball Federation ended with eleventh place in Sweden, ten years later his fourth successor in office, Alfred Gislason, is responsible for the historically worst result in global championships with twelfth place in Egypt.
But while fire showed signs of fatigue after 14 years as national coach, Gislason is far less the focus of criticism after his first major tournament.