Once again worried about resurgence
Hamburger SV throws Tim Walter out
February 12, 2024, 9:07 a.m
Hamburger SV is parting ways with coach Tim Walter. The second division team has to worry about getting promoted back to the Bundesliga for the sixth time in a row; the club has slipped to third place in the table. The club bosses decide to continue fighting without him.
Hamburger SV has separated from its coach Tim Walter. The second division soccer team confirms this. After a good two and a half years together, the club bosses of the third-placed team around sports director Jonas Boldt have decided to continue immediately without the 48-year-old on the sidelines. Walter’s assistants Julian Hübner and Filip Tapalovic are also released with immediate effect.
“After the disappointing home defeat against Hannover 96, we carried out a situation analysis and came to the decision that we had to make a change in order not to jeopardize our goals for the season,” said Boldt: “Our fluctuations in performance in the last few games were too great and we are lacking We are fully convinced that we will achieve the necessary balance and stability in our game in this constellation over the next few weeks.”
According to the HSV statement, Walter said: “I would have liked to have contributed further to achieving our season goal together. I would like to thank HSV, the office and the extraordinary fans for more than two and a half years of great cooperation.”
The six-time German champions have already failed five times in their attempt to finally get promoted back to the first league. After the sporting misdevelopment of the past few months, the HSV management apparently sees the danger of missing their big goal this season too. Hamburg had recently lost three home games in a row.
Will Baumgart follow as coach?
Before Christmas, Walter was already on the brink. Then he received another clear order from sports director Boldt and sports director Claus Costa to stabilize his team. However, eight goals conceded in the first two home games of the new year against Karlsruher SC (3:4) and Hannover 96 (3:4) showed that the coach couldn’t manage it.
Walter moved to HSV in the summer of 2021 and twice missed the hoped-for promotion in relegation. Nevertheless, he scored an average of 1.82 points per game in 103 games, which is the best value in Hamburg’s second division history. In the past 40 years, there have only been three coaches with a longer tenure in Hamburg: Ernst Happel (1981-1987), Benno Möhlmann (1992-1995) and Frank Pagelsdorf (1997-2001).
According to reports, Steffen Baumgart is being discussed as a possible successor. The 52-year-old, who coached 1. FC Köln until the end of 2023, is reportedly ready to work in Hamburg. First of all, Merlin Polzin is taking over the preparation for the away game on Saturday at Hansa Rostock. According to the HSV, he is supported by the head of sports at the youth performance center, Loic Fave, and goalkeeping coach Sven Höh.