The principle is simple.

"I'm not a fan of distribution of forces or squad management," says Bennet Wiegert.

If you can play, play.

That means for the backcourt forces Philipp Weber, Gisli Kristjansson and Omar Ingi Magnusson: They always play.

Which can't possibly be easy, because the way is exhausting with the constant duels and rummaging through to the six-meter line.

There is no secret of success at SC Magdeburg, says coach Wiegert, but: "You can only give everything in every game if you have worked a lot on your physique and done strength training in the summer." The German handball champion from Saxony-Anhalt gave up in preparation for nonsensical test games and went to the dumbbells instead.

That pays off.

"We shouldn't have any muscle injuries at all," says Wiegert, who is also head of sport.

Weber (30 years old), even more conspicuous Magnusson (25) and Kristjansson (23) have been in constant use for months.

The SCM has played 19 games since October 18th.

At the end of November there were four games in eight days.

That left its mark: "I'm just empty," Wiegert said on November 27 after the win in Hamburg.

With SCM, you know what you're getting

However, the batteries of his stars still seem to be well charged - on Wednesday evening at the surprising 37:33 in Paris, Magnusson and Kristjansson threw 21 goals together and only needed 24 tries.

These are values ​​close to perfection.

And while the competition in Kiel, Berlin and Flensburg is currently using the whole range of the squad to compensate for injuries or to give frequent players breaks, you know what you get from the SCM, who plays against Erlangen on Saturday (6:30 p.m.): Weber.

Magnusson.

Kristjansson.

Wiegert is full of praise: “I was floored by what was asked of us recently.

But I know that my players will be there again the next day and want to continue.” The 40-year-old Wiegert only uses professionals who are fully capable and not injured.

Of course, the three from the back were allowed to take a breather on less tricky tasks like in the cup in Ludwigshafen;

Weber and Kristjansson also play little in defense.

In the case of high leads, Wiegert also gives the leaders a break.

But he just likes to let his well-rehearsed ensemble perform.

In addition, he benefits from the fact that there are no talents waiting for the lower squad positions, but ready players: Michael Damgård, Kay Smits.

Wiegert says: "More important than winning games is being able to go into the next games with a full squad.

Injured players hurt more than losing points that can be repeated.” Not everyone is happy with their role.

So Smits moves to Flensburg in the summer.

Squad management runs like clockwork

In trusting a row in the back for a very long time, Wiegert is now reminiscent of the old Kiel master coach Noka Serdarusic.

And its professionals repay that trust.

Quite a few had thought that the SCM would rise to the quadruple burden and drop points after European trips.

It turned out differently.

In the Bundesliga, Magdeburg is hardly worse off than leader Kiel, in the DHB Cup the SCM reached the round of 16, in the Champions League even second place and skipping the round of 16 is possible.

And in October, the proud club defended the title of club world champion – against FC Barcelona.

If players who are hunted across Europe like the Swede Felix Claar now decide for the SCM (he will come from Aalborg in the summer of 2023), this is due to Wiegert and the rich salary due to the polished reputation of the East Germans.

The squad and contract management has been running like clockwork for a long time.

Claar's arrival will relieve Magnusson and Kristjansson, which will be necessary in the future and also allows the club to look ahead with relative peace of mind should a bigger fish come and chase the two Icelanders.

"It's outstanding how Magdeburg plays without a big shooter in the back and prepares for the future," said Torsten Jansen, the coach of HSV Hamburg.

It is obvious that the $400,000 (EUR 373,720) prize money from the Club World Cup will make planning easier for Managing Director Marc-Henrik Schmedt: in recent months, five regulars have extended their contracts, some until mid-2028.

Everything that comes from Magdeburg has long seemed planned, and even painful defeats like on November 19 against THW leave no one in doubt about the path of the SCM - that's a greater achievement than a solitary championship title.