Newsblog for Hamburger SV
This is how Kuntz wants to set up the HSV for the Bundesliga
Updated on May 17, 2025 – 8:31 a.m.Reading time: 38 min.
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Sports board member Stefan Kuntz sees Hamburger SV, despite the promotion after seven years of second-class, not economically at eye level with many Bundesliga competitors. “We have to accept that we cannot compete with Augsburg, Berlin, Freiburg and Mainz in the next season,” said the 62-year-old in an interview with the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”.
One reason is the long absence from the upper house. Kuntz announced that the course has taken away from humility and economic reason. New loans-for example from investor Klaus-Michael Kühne-are excluded: “We are not starting to go to Switzerland immediately.”
According to Kuntz, the HSV is planning a mixture of experienced leader players, regulars and talents. He does not completely rule out a costly star obligation if it fits the philosophy of the association. “So I would take Florian Wirtz!”, Kuntz said with a wink. However, “mentality and quality” are crucial for possible new additions.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga-in Hamburg between 2013 and 2019 in a total of 138 professional games (49 goals)-is about to be a surprising comeback in professional football. On Sunday (3:30 p.m.) the former HSV striker for FC Schalke 04 could run against SV Elversberg in the 2nd Bundesliga.
His last professional game in Germany? Is almost six years ago to the day – for HSV. The 33-year-old has been in England, Qatar and since 2023 in Schalke’s regional league team. So now he has the chance of another chapter in professional football.
Schalke’s interim coach Jakob Fimpel is impressed: “Pierre did exactly what I expected from him. He is hot for such a situation, has scored many goals a week.” It is not (yet) enough for 90 minutes – but a short assignment is possible.
In the 2019/20 season, Dieter Hecking was supposed to lead HSV to the Bundesliga-and ended up in 4th place. In the meantime, the 60-year-old trains VfL Bochum, who is a guest at FC St. Pauli on Saturday. In conversation with the “Abendblatt”, Hecking appreciated his former club.
He is happy “for the fans and employees, of whom I still know many well,” said Hecking, emphasizing how much passion has flowed into the return. In retrospect, he calls the ghost games a disadvantage during his term: “During my time at HSV, this force of the 57,000 spectators probably was missing from the Corona pandemic.” The crucial impulse from the outside has often been missing.
Hecking made a special praise to assistant coach Merlin Polzin: “This is a very large coaching victory, especially for Merlin Polzin, and he moderated things very well in this excited environment.”
It was not granted to him to get to the Bundesliga with the HSV-Union coach Steffen Baumgart is still happy about the return of his ex-club. “We should look forward to the fact that the HSV is back as a club,” said the 53-year-old, from whom the club only separated in November 2024. The former Bundesliga dino is a felt first division team that was absent for a long time.
“Many have always tried. The boys who have done it now have made it,” made it deserved, “said Baumgart, referring to his successor Merlin Polzin and his team. He congratulated many in the club.
Baumgart wanted to bring the HSV back to the first division, one of his heart clubs, but had to go after a sporting slide. At the end of the season 2023/24, it had previously only been enough for fourth place. Now he is looking forward to the upcoming duels: “Beautiful city, beautiful stadium, horny atmosphere,” said Baumgart.