He once sat in the stadium as an HSV fan, now he is suddenly the boss: Merlin Polzin, born in Hamburg, is facing the biggest opportunity of his career.
He’s not a big name yet – but maybe he’s the magician HSV has been looking for for so long. At least for the away game in Rostock on Saturday (1 p.m.) Merlin Polzin will be sitting on the bench of the second division team from Hamburger Volkspark as head coach. It is even possible that the 33-year-old, who grew up in the Bramfeld district, will keep the job for a long time. FC St. Pauli proved that this could be the path to success with Fabian Hürzeler, who went from “Assi” to boss – and suddenly the Kiezkickers rocketed to the top of the table.
In any case, HSV sports director Jonas Boldt thinks highly of his interim coach. “Merlin Polzin is given the opportunity with full conviction and will definitely play a role – regardless of the constellation. He brings a lot of content with him and has helped shape a lot in recent years. We have a great coaching talent in him who brings a lot to the table.” said the 42-year-old at a press conference on Monday.
Merlin Polzin: From HSV fan to head coach of the professionals
Merlin Polzin has previously been active as a coach in the second row. In 2020 he came to Hamburg together with Daniel Thioune from VfL Osnabrück. The head coach at the time didn’t even last a whole season in office – his assistant coach stayed and became Tim Walters’ right-hand man. “For me as a coaching personality, I work extremely detailed, a lot, but also really enjoy working. I try to prepare the boys in the best possible way together with the coaching team and the analysis guys,” Polzin once said about his own work. The 33-year-old is said to have great expertise, particularly in the tactical area – another connection to Fabian Hürzeler.
Merlin Polzin has been wearing the diamond on his chest for 138 competitive games, and he has had it in his heart for much longer: The Bramfeld player makes no secret of the fact that he was a big HSV fan as a child. “I think there is nothing that can be more special for me than working for HSV,” he said in “Mopo” in 2020. It’s hardly surprising that Merlin Polzin has now accepted the interim job, more than three years later, “with shining eyes,” as Jonas Boldt revealed.
After 23 years, a Hamburger is back on the HSV coaching bench
Incidentally, Polzin was HSV coach from 2011 to 2013 – in his youth. He then went to Osnabrück to study teaching. Polzin once followed a training session there for the VfL Osnabrück U17s – coached by Daniel Thioune. It was the beginning of a long-term collaboration: together the team worked their way up through the U19s to the VfL professionals, was promoted to the second division in 2019 and stayed in the league in 2020.
Curious: On the 32nd matchday of 2019/20, Polzin and Thioune annoyed HSV with a 1-1 draw and stole the points from their future employer that they were missing for Bundesliga relegation a short time later. Merlin Polzin could probably do without that this season – if direct promotion finally works instead. The 33-year-old has already ended one of HSV’s “dry spells”: He is the first native of Hamburg since Holger Hieronymus in September 2001 to sit as boss on the “Rothosen” bench.