The HSV has been waiting for a win for three games. In the Volkspark, the unrest is slowly growing. But the club is still on a promotion course – and should keep calm.
With three points, the HSV would have made a huge leap towards the climb on Sunday. But against Karlsruhe it was not enough to win – the disappointment after the 1-2 is tangible among fans, coaches and players. Even worse: the “head cinema” of the past six rejected ascents is back. Now it is time to keep calm and trust your own skills – and not to rely on quick shots. Sports director Stefan Kuntz can be of great help.
Despite three winless games against Braunschweig, Schalke and the KSC, the starting position remains good. After 31 out of 34 games, the HSV has everything in hand, is three points ahead of the relegation place (Magdeburg, 50 points) and four in front of fourth place (Elversberg, 49 points). In total, there are only nine points left. The Hamburgers also have the best goal difference of all promotion candidates. And: No other team got 2025 more points (25), only Magdeburg (29) scored even more goals than the “red pants” (27).
Coach Merlin Polzin stabilized the team after Steffen Baumgart’s dismissal in November, and a significant development can be seen. Jean-Luc Dompé probably benefits most of this: he is the difference player who regularly contributes important goals and templates. Under Polzin, he not only appears more determined, but also works regularly on the defensive. He has just extended his contract until 2027. Ludovit Reis also found back to old strength under Merlin Polzin: The vice captain takes the role of the midfield engine and often scores with its game structure and presence in the duels.
The decision to rely on a trainer talent with the 34-year-old Polzin pays off. As a long-time assistant coach, he knows the team with its strengths and weaknesses. The results until the beginning of April state sports director Stefan Kuntz: The HSV mostly appeared dominant and cold -cared and made direct competitors such as Düsseldorf (4: 1), Kaiserslautern (3: 0) or Nuremberg (3: 0) clearly.
The team created particularly many opportunities over the outer lanes-especially thanks to the pairing of Jean-Luc Dompé and Miro Muheim on the left wing. Significant: Without the last injured Swiss, the usual stability and creativity were missing. The interaction of the replacement people Silvan Hefti and William Mikelbrencis with Dompé did not work. At the same time, Muheim was missing as a defensive leader. A glimmer of hope: the 27-year-old trained again on Monday. He could belong to the team again on Saturday in Darmstadt.
A young coach like Polzin needs trust and time for learning processes. The HSV has tried many types of coaches in recent years without ascending. A typical quick shot like a further change of coach does not help the club in this situation – it would be a big mistake to withdraw polezin so hastily.
The decades of experience of sports director Stefan Kuntz is now worth gold: Kuntz can help Polzin to lead the HSV back to the course of success. As a captain, he led the 1st FC Kaiserslautern in 1991 to the German championship on the last match day after the club had previously nerves. As a trainer, he formed the U21 national team twice as a European champion. If it now succeeds in waking up the greed for victories and the trust in your own strengths, HSV has every reason to celebrate in mid -May. Nobody speaks about a 1: 2 against Karlsruhe.