2nd league
HSV problems also worsen with Baumgart
Steffen Baumgart doesn’t want to hear about too much pressure to finally get promoted. photo
© Roland Weihrauch/dpa
It has now become clear how risky the change of coach at Hamburger SV was. Baumgart instead of Walter hasn’t worked so far. There is still a threat of a second division season.
The euphoria at Hamburger SV surrounding the signing of Steffen Baumgart as the new bearer of hope is long gone. The second defeat in a row under Baumgart in the top second division game at Fortuna Düsseldorf 0:2 (0:1) left its mark.
At the weekend it became obvious: Baumgart and third-placed HSV have a problem. Once again, the longed-for promotion to the Bundesliga in the spring is in acute danger. “We are a long way from what I imagine,” complained Baumgart.
Even under the successor to the sacked Tim Walter, Hamburg are on the verge of missing out on a return to the first division for the sixth time since relegation in 2018, despite increasing investments every year. The former Bundesliga permanent member is in danger of becoming second division inventory. The gap to city rivals and leaders FC St. Pauli grew to a whopping ten points and to second place Holstein Kiel to five points, and the competition was pressing from below.
Fortuna only one point behind HSV
After all, SpVgg Greuther Fürth missed catching up with HSV due to the bad 1:4 against Elversberg. But Fortuna, which has also been weakening recently and only won its second game this year against HSV, has moved within one point of the Hanseatic League.
The big HSV is still reacting with defiance. “I’m not worried at all,” said keeper Matheo Raab with regard to the promotion race. “If we leave our hearts on the pitch in the last few games, I have no worries at all.” This statement was astonishing. Because it wasn’t just in Düsseldorf that this didn’t work at all on Friday evening. Hamburg didn’t get a single shot on Fortuna’s goal in the entire game. For the first time in 30 competitive games, HSV did not score its own goal. The game could easily have ended 0:4 or 0:5. The previous week, Baumgart’s Hamburgers had already lost at home against bottom-placed VfL Osnabrück (1:2). In general, there were a whopping five defeats from the last seven games.
Consistent pressing instead of possession football
“There is a lot that we have to change,” said Baumgart. That sounded much more realistic. Because the fundamental change in content from Walter to him threatens to overwhelm the professionals. After two and a half years under Walter, who preached strict possession football, the HSV professionals are now supposed to show the complete opposite. Consistent pressing is the well-known Baumgart approach, celebrated down to the last detail at 1. FC Köln. Whether it will work at HSV is doubtful given the long history of Walter’s influence.
“Of course it’s a change from Tim to Steffen,” said defender Sebastian Schonlau and then revealed the whole dilemma: “I don’t think we’re changing that much at the moment – especially in our offensive game.” In fact, the Hamburg team in Düsseldorf played what they were taught under Walter – also because the former HSV and current Fortuna coach Daniel Thioune deliberately left the ball to the opponent. “Although in rooms that were irrelevant to us,” Thioune noted. And his colleague Baumgart shows little willingness to compromise in his approach.
“Just implement what was clearly discussed before,” Baumgart demanded of his team and announced a clearer approach to communication: “I have to be more clear.” It is questionable whether that is enough. “We now have to get stability back quickly,” said returnee Laszlo Benes, who was not a factor in an unusual outside position after serving a red card suspension. “Everyone knows that this is not my favorite position,” noted the Slovakian, but Baumgart remained stubborn on this question: “I don’t know why it shouldn’t work.” HSV and Baumgart now have nine games left.