Hannover 96 has been stuck in the 2nd Bundesliga for seven years now. That should change with Jonas Boldt – if he is given certain freedoms.
On June 1st, a new era begins at Maschsee: Jonas Boldt, a new sports director, starts at Hannover 96. The 44-year-old is already the third manager in six months and has to take care of several construction sites directly. The club finally needs a sporting leadership again that will hold the place together. That’s exactly why Boldt is the right signing.
Hannover 96 has been stuck in the 2nd Bundesliga for seven years. In the season that just ended, the team lost promotion on the last day of the match and wasn’t even able to avoid relegation. After that, things became restless around the Lower Saxony Stadium: rumors about a separation from coach Christian Titz or a transfer stop were making the rounds. Chairman of the supervisory board Martin Kind publicly shot against the team and once again commented on sporting issues that actually fall within the area of responsibility of the club’s management.
Sports director Becker was left alone at Hannover 96
It seemed as if the club was collapsing due to the shattered dream of promotion. Sports director Ralf Becker is not to blame for this. He was left alone to make many decisions and also had to step in as chief scout, squad planner and managing director. 96 recorded departures in all of these positions over the course of the season. “That is not sustainable,” Becker himself admitted on Transfermarkt.
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He’s right. Hannover 96 recently lacked either a better striker or a more creative playmaker. There was a lack of sporting leadership. That’s exactly why Boldt was brought in. In Hamburg he showed that he can stabilize an ambitious, chaotic club. He professionalized scouting and youth work, put HSV on a solid financial footing and brought calm even in times of crisis.
Of course there is an objection: HSV missed promotion five times under Boldt. Anyone who just looks at the table will accuse him of exactly that. However, Hamburg ended every season in third or fourth place. Ascension was always within reach. The fact that HSV managed to take the step in 2025 was also due to Boldt’s preparatory work.
Becker, Titz, Boldt: Experience meets euphoria
In Hanover, Boldt finds an environment he knows well: an ambitious second division team with high expectations and limited patience. Two experienced professionals, Christian Titz and Ralf Becker, are already working in the club. Becker knows the structures and the squad, Titz has proven that his team can play for promotion. The euphoria is great, the stadium was sold out eight times – a club record. The foundation is there.
