Comment on HSV's transfer window: both chance and obligation | OneFootball

German football was more than a little surprised when word leaked out over the course of last Sunday that HSV would win the race for both elite technician Fabio Vieira and Morocco World Cup player Zakaria El Ouahdi.

When the transfers were officially announced on Deadline Day and highly talented left-back David Möller Wolfe joined as a third notable new signing, it was finally there: the euphoria around the Volkspark.

Fans and experts alike praised HSV for a strong transfer window. Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg even went a step further, calling sporting director Claus Costa a “young Uli Hoeneß” in light of his relatively inexpensive acquisition of top players. A big comparison, certainly. But one that at least deserves a look at the raw numbers.

Costa has in fact managed to provide his coach Merlin Polzin with an extremely high-profile squad as early as the second year after promotion to the Bundesliga. This summer, the 42-year-old brought new signings with a combined market value of more than €100 million to the Elbe – and paid only around €30 million for them. With Terem Moffi, Patson Daka, Albert Grønbæk, Fabio Vieira and Sambi Lokonga, HSV now have a whole series of players who, just a few years ago, would have been more readily associated with a regular European contender than with a supposed relegation candidate.

HSV’s squad planning follows a clear strategy

But the full truth also includes this: the former Dino is not getting these players at their peak. That is, however, something entirely different from signing washed-up veterans looking to collect one last big contract at HSV. Not a single new signing Costa secured in recent weeks is older than 27. Instead, it was stalled development, complicated recent years or long-term injuries that made players like Moffi or Möller Wolfe affordable for HSV.

There is one player for whom that clearly does not apply: Zakaria El Ouahdi. The 24-year-old produced an outstanding season in Genk, scoring a remarkable 12 competitive goals and would improve the vast majority of Bundesliga clubs on sporting merit. The fact that such a footballer is now wearing the HSV shirt is remarkable.

Accordingly, despite the 2–0 opening defeat in Dortmund, anticipation is huge. The fans cannot wait to see El Ouahdi and returning player Vieira at the Volkspark against Mainz (Sunday, 3:30 p.m.) for the first time this season. Both immediately lift HSV to a new footballing level.

Photo: IMAGO

And this is exactly where the real challenge begins for Polzin and his coaching staff. What Costa has built in the transfer market is both an opportunity and an obligation for the 35-year-old coach. His squad gives him completely new options for shaping matches and reacting to different opponents.

But a higher individual level naturally also brings higher expectations. For that reason, the supporters will no longer accept a passive approach to the same extent as they did for large stretches of last season. Performances like the first half in Dortmund must remain the exception, and the conservative playing style must be developed step by step.

Between euphoria and necessary humility

Recognizing that, however, does not mean falling back into old patterns and already fantasizing about European nights ahead. HSV, and especially the environment around the club, would do well not to repeat the same mistakes that have accompanied the club over the past two decades. Euphoria is good fuel. It just should not become the navigation system.

One of the most important tasks for Polzin, board member for sport Kathleen Krüger and all the other decision-makers will therefore be to show communicative sensitivity and manage the mood around the Volkspark with the necessary care. No one should lose their head after two good games. But artificially making themselves smaller than they are cannot be the solution either.

Because as much as modesty may be in the Hanseatic nature, realism is too. And realistically speaking, this HSV squad is simply too good to be fighting relegation until the end of the season. The fans know that. And the people in charge know that as well. That is exactly why this unquestionably strong transfer window is, above all, one thing: both an opportunity and an obligation.

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