After 30 relaxed minutes, Tim Walter (46) had enough on Saturday. After a short, relaxed session, the HSV coach sent his team back into the dressing room. All hands on board for Monday’s relegation second leg against Hertha BSC.
After the last six wins in a row and the 1-0 in the first leg in Berlin, Hamburg wants to return to the upper house in the sold-out Volksparkstadion after being relegated to the Bundesliga in 2018.
Walter laid the foundation for this over the past eleven months. Since day one, the football coach has instilled in his pros what he expects of them. It’s not just about his beloved ball possession football with many position changes, but also in particular about the mentality of the players.
HSV collapsed three times in the last three years in the final sprint of the 2nd division, always finishing fourth. Walter fought the loser gene: In the first few months, every unit became a competition. The losing team always got penalties. Even with the tips of their noses in the grass, the kickers had to crawl across the pitch after defeats in training games.
At first, one or the other measure was smiled at. But: Walter brought the troops on course.
In the final sprint in the second division, Hamburg staged the biggest catch-up race since the introduction of the three-point rule (1995/96), caught up seven points behind relegation place three in the last five games.
Courage, will and commitment are huge, the mentality is great. This is how you survived critical phases. Like after the 3-2 defeat against Bremen, when you only got one point from three games. Or like after the 0-1 setback in Kiel on the 29th matchday.
Midfielder Jonas Meffert (27): “We sat down together. A few people have raised a couple of things that we need to do more consistently.”
Sport board member Jonas Boldt (40): “A lot has happened – in the team, in the coaching team. We were actually already written off and said we are convinced of our path and those who are ready are welcome to dare to go further.”
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