Guesswork at an end

European Championship all-star Robert Weber reveals what happens next

Robert Weber impressed at the European Championships in Germany.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Will he continue, will he retire? There has long been speculation about the sporting future of red-white-red handball icon Robert Weber. But now the 38-year-old winger, who was player-coach in the Austrian league last season and was selected for the all-star team at the European Championships in Germany, has decided what to do next.

Robert Weber puts down roots at home again! The Vorarlberg handball legend will soon be commuting from his apartment in Dornbirn, which he rented three years ago, to his new club. It is based in St. Gallen, only around 40 minutes away from home by car. "The perfect solution for my future life," Weber is convinced, even if it's not the traditional club Otmar St. Gallen, but the promoted second division team Fides. "They can all play handball there. And the proximity to Dornbirn is an important factor for me." Especially as life will also change in another area. After passing the entrance exam, Weber will join the police force on September 2.

"I'll still be training semi-professionally," says the left-handed player (last year's European Cup winner with the Füchse Berlin), immediately indicating that he has no intention of letting his impressive career come to an end after he retired as player-coach at Hard's league rivals Bärnbach/Köflach. Weber waited in vain for foreign inquiries. "That's disappointing when you consider that I performed on the big stage in January and was selected for the European Championship All-Star team!"

Familiar faces
Robert will meet an old acquaintance at Fides St. Gallen, where Konrad Wurst, a former "red devil", is under contract. And Julian Rauch, an ex-Bregenz man, is in charge of coaching. "He tried very hard for me."

The question that now arises: Is the step back the end of the team career of the 38-year-old, who is just ten goals short of the 1,000-goal mark? "I'm not saying I'm quitting. If the association wants me to continue, then I'm available!" In this case, a release from the police would have to be obtained - this should not fail

Exit clause until September 2
The official start of training in St. Gallen is on July 29. If another interesting offer from abroad comes in before September 2, Weber could still get out of his contract. However, this is no longer likely.