HSV: Köln boss Kwasniok was close to landing the Polzin job! | OneFootball

HSV faces the newly-promoted team duel against 1. FC Köln this Sunday. The opponent has left a strong impression so far, with coach Lukas Kwasniok, who was also in demand in Hamburg not too long ago, playing a significant role.

With eleven points, 1. FC Köln currently holds eighth place. The performances might have been even better than the current tally suggests. In every match, the second division champion proved to be fully competitive. They lost to Borussia Dortmund only in the last second with 0:1. Even the mighty FC Bayern Munich was in trouble on Wednesday evening at the Müngersdorfer Stadium, eventually winning 4:1, partly thanks to an offside goal that temporarily equalized the score.

Coach Lukas Kwasniok has always managed to prepare his team ideally against opponents often superior in individual quality. This strength already distinguished him at SC Paderborn. HSV also felt this and lost four out of eight duels. Sports director Stefan Kuntz was so impressed that he wanted to bring Kwasniok to the Hanseatic city, even willing to invest over a million euros in compensation.

Kwasniok can live with the failed HSV move

The 44-year-old was supposed to succeed Steffen Baumgart, who was dismissed in November 2024. However, SC Paderborn refused to release him during the first half of the season. Kwasniok, who ironically took over from Baumgart in East Westphalia in 2021, was very frustrated, even publicly stating that a "life opportunity was taken" from him. Despite all the frustration, he led SCP to a strong fourth place. Meanwhile, HSV officials relied on Merlin Polzin, who achieved the long-awaited promotion.

With a bit of delay, Kwasniok also made it to the Bundesliga. He moved from Paderborn to 1. FC Köln. "If things had gone differently, I might not be here now and maybe not quite as happy," he said with some distance in an interview with Sport Bild about his failed HSV move. Therefore, he is now happy that SC Paderborn "remained steadfast."

Nur die Raute – All news about HSV

The much-praised Kwasniok believes that "FC is currently the best" for him. But HSV has also developed positively since then. Coach Polzin not only achieved promotion but also quickly formed a fully competitive team despite major changes, which should have collected more than eight points. In Cologne, after two consecutive league defeats, they aim to score again. To implement this plan, Polzin must find better tactical solutions than in the last duel with Kwasniok – the 0:2 in Paderborn.

Photo: IMAGO

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.