Polzin will take over on an interim basis
©IMAGO
Hamburger SV has parted ways with head coach Steffen Baumgart after the 2-2 draw against FC Schalke 04 and the fifth competitive game in a row without a win. The North Germans officially announced this on Sunday afternoon. Assistant Merlin Polzin will look after the team on an interim basis. In addition to Baumgart, his assistants Rene Wagner and Kevin McKenna were also released.
Sports director Stefan Kuntz explained: “Steffen gave everything for HSV with great passion, energy and commitment until the very end. Our analysis of the current situation and yesterday’s game made it clear once again that we believe a new impulse is necessary to get out of the performance and results crisis.
According to the club statement, Baumgart said: “I would like to thank Stefan Kuntz and also Jonas Boldt (Kuntz’s predecessor; editor) for the opportunity to work at my favorite childhood club. It was an exciting and very intense time. I remain connected to the club and hope that HSV achieves its goals. My thanks also go to the entire staff and all employees in the office.”
Baumgart, the bearer of hope, fails at HSV
Baumgart was brought in in February by then sports director Boldt as the new hope for the released Tim Walter. However, the Rostock native was neither able to lead HSV to promotion in the second half of the 2023/24 season nor subsequently give the impression that the team with one of the most valuable squads (44.15 million euros) was making noticeable development in the lower house. A points average of 1.59 with just twelve wins from 27 competitive games is a sobering result. The Hanseatic League is in danger of failing to return to the Bundesliga at the seventh attempt. The two clear defeats in Elversberg (2:4) and at relegation candidate Braunschweig (1:3) left their mark.
At least before the game against Schalke, sports director Kuntz had Baumgart’s back. The sporting leadership around Kuntz did not comment immediately after the game. Baumgart himself stated that he felt “full trust”.
On Sunday morning the team went for a run in Altonaer Volkspark. In the draw against Schalke, the team’s performance curve clearly fell again in the second half. The Baumgart team seemed deeply unsettled. Shortly after the game, attacker Davie Selke (29) couldn’t really explain the drop in performance. “If you’re unsure, you don’t play like that in the first half. We have to discuss what it is,” said the attacker.
The Hamburg team gave the guests too many offensive options after the break. Baumgart’s defensive approach in front of his own audience against Schalke, who were also struggling, was also symptomatic of their insecure performance. “We can never leave here with a draw,” complained midfielder Marco Richter (26), who scored for the first time for HSV with a free kick.
Schalke professional Karaman felt uncertainty at HSV
On the other hand, Schalke attacker Kenan Karaman (30) offered an explanation. “We knew that Hamburg wasn’t that stable after taking the lead, they also seemed a bit insecure,” said the goalscorer to make it 2-2. And it is precisely this uncertainty that could once again stand in the way of HSV’s mission to get promoted to the Bundesliga.
Baumgart seemed irritated after the game. The trainer seemed even more emotionally charged than usual. At the microphone of the TV station “Sky”, he didn’t let the moderator stop him with the words “Now it’s my turn” when he gave the assessment of expert and ex-professional Simon Terodde did not agree. “I don’t see it as simply as you do,” complained Baumgart. The coach sold the draw against relegation candidate Schalke at the press conference as a “partial success”.
