Sven Schipplock: “HSV almost destroyed me as a player”

Ex-Bundesliga striker looks back

On Monday, Sven Schipplock announced the end of his playing career in the summer. The 34-year-old told the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” mainly about recurring injuries, which mostly put the 34-year-old out of action for weeks. The center forward is currently still active for the second team of VfB Stuttgart in the Regionalliga Südwest. Schipplock now commented on the most complicated phase of his professional life.

All in all, the native of Reutlingen can look back on 181 Bundesliga appearances – for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (84), Arminia Bielefeld (32), Hamburger SV (30), SV Darmstadt 98 (23) and VfB (12). Only for HSV Schipplock remained completely without a hit. “It was the most difficult time of my career,” Schipplock said “Hamburger Morgenpost” quoted. “I completely underestimated the situation at HSV. The force that radiates from this club and that is also passed on to the players in the media. That was really brutal for me as an unsuccessful striker.”

The offensive man switched from Hoffenheim to Hamburg in the summer of 2015 for 2.5 million euros – the highest transfer fee in his career. After three years and an interim loan to Darmstadt, the chapter ended for him with the North Germans, Schipplock moved on to Bielefeld on a free transfer after the club’s relegation in 2018. “It is always forgotten that as a player you put a lot of pressure on yourself anyway. Mentally, I really reached my limits.” The right-footer summed up: “HSV almost destroyed me as a player.”

Schipplock needed time after the HSV episode and found his role

After leaving the traditional club, “it took me a while to get over the time in Hamburg,” says Schipplock. “But then I found my role.” With Arminia he made it to the top flight as second division champions in 2019/20. In general, Schipplock looks back positively on what he experienced. “Even though I have never visited an NLZ and had completely different technical and tactical requirements. I played in Pfullendorf until the U19s. Something like that is almost unthinkable today.” On Sunday, his former clubs HSV and Bielefeld meet in the 2nd division – the “Rothosen” are fighting for the Bundesliga return for the fifth time, while the DSC wants to move away from the relegation zone.

As early as 2018, Schipplock took a critical look at his time on the Elbe. “Maybe I just wasn’t professional enough in my head. But I don’t have this problem exclusively in Hamburg. Many players before me have not managed to access their potential here,” the attacker told the “Bild” at the time.

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