In a survey of 39 well-known coaches about the #7vs6 rule by Björn Pazen thirty coaches are in favour of a return to the old rule, four coaches want changes to the new rule, five want to keep the rule as it is. Raul Gonzalez is one of those who criticize the seven versus six rule, in the interview he explains why. „There is no movement, no 1-against-1-situation, it is just passes and the goalkeeper running to change all the time“, said the former winner of the Champions League with Vardar Skopje, who is now coach of Paris Saint-Germain.
In your opinion, did handball become more attractive as a result of the rule change towards the seventh field player?
– I don`t like handball when it the seventh field player rule is used. I think that it changes a lot the style of the previous handball as it was before.
For me, if you play it for a short amount of time – five minutes for example – it can be attractive for the public. But when it is used the way us coaches are doing, I feel that it makes the game less attractive.
Has the basic idea of handball changed as a result of this new rule?
– The idea of handball changes completely. There is no movement, no 1-against-1-situation, it is just passes and the goalkeeper running to change all the time. It is a totally different game.
How have your style of play and your team`s playing system regarding goalkeeper, attack and defence changed as a result of this rule change?
-The result is that you have to adapt to the rule, and it doesn`t depend on whether you like it or not. The rule is there and you have to use it because other teams are going to use it as well.
Does this rule make weaker teams stronger – or does it tend to reward coaches who take a higher risk?
– I think that when a rule can be used by everybody, it can be rewarding or not. It`s the teams that take the decision. But the problem is whether the overall performance is attractive for the public and television or not.
How do you see particularly the „empty-net-goals“ and their impact on handball?
– At the beginning it was funny, but now I don`t see it as an attractive shoot.
If you had the chance to do so, would you undo this rule change?
– Yes, for sure. I would change it with no doubt. I think that the goalkeeper has to stay in the goal.
Because in case of 2 minutes suspensions, there already exists a situation of superiority, but if you play 7 against 6 all the time, you will play in superiority during the whole match. The open defences will disappear, like the 3-3 or the 5-1.
Raul Gonzalez started his coaching career as an assistant coach alongside Talant Dujshebaev at Ciudad Real. In 2014 he signed as head coach of Vardar Skopje and won the Champions League with the club in the 2016/17 season. In the summer of 2018 he moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the French championship twice.
