That was quick: just a few hours after Tim Walter’s leave of absence, Hamburger SV presented his successor.
Shortly after Tim Walter’s dismissal, speculation was rife in the Hamburger SV camp: who’s coming now? Steffen Baumgart (most recently 1. FC Cologne) and Raphael Wicky (Young Boys Bern) were mentioned here in the front line. Nonsense!
Sports director Jonas Boldt did not reveal his hand in the poker game for the coaching position at Hamburger SV – and pulled a surprising trump card out of his sleeve: Merlin Polzin.
The former assistant coach is supposed to get the struggling Hamburger SV back on track. At least for the time being. In the away game at Hansa Rostock this Saturday (1 p.m./Sky), the 33-year-old Polzin will “definitely” be on the bench – further employment is explicitly not ruled out.
“He will definitely get the chance, out of full conviction. We want to bring stability and then take a calm look at how things are going in this constellation or perhaps in a different one,” said Boldt at a hastily convened press conference in Hamburg on Monday.
Regarding the speculated names, the sports director said: ”Of course we know the market well and know what we want. We are examining the possibilities that are feasible.”
Boldt explained again why HSV parted ways with Walter after two and a half years, who most recently won in Berlin and at Schalke, but also conceded three home defeats in a row: “We saw the danger of things getting a bit out of hand. In the end, we realized that the conviction to achieve our goals was no longer there. It’s about the matter, not about people.”
Walter, who “endured” the longest period in the HSV hot seat between 1997 and 2001 since Frank Pagelsdorf, was no longer trusted to return to the Bundesliga. The man from Baden had twice missed out on promotion in the relegation play-offs. Now the rollercoaster ride has cost him his job. “I would have liked to have done more to help us achieve our goal for the season,” said Walter, who has won 1.82 points on average per game with HSV in 103 games, dejected. wozi with sid