‘Not good enough’: Basler sounds alarm despite first HSV win! | OneFootball

The first win is in the bag, and the mood at HSV has noticeably improved after the 2-1 victory over 1. FC Köln. Mario Basler, however, remains unconvinced.

On SPORT1’s “Doppelpass,” the former Germany international predicted a difficult season for Hamburg despite the morale-boosting result. “I think HSV will have major problems staying up,” said Basler. He was particularly blunt in his assessment of the squad that has been put together: “They’re not good enough with this group.”

The 57-year-old is therefore sticking to his line. Shortly before the start of the season, Basler had already voiced doubts about the Rothosen in the podcast “Basler ballert,” speculating: “I think HSV are facing a tough season.” Their first win has apparently done little to change his overall assessment.

Basler is especially critical of the loss of Luka Vuskovic. The 19-year-old was on loan from Tottenham Hotspur last season and impressed across the board at the Volkspark. In the summer, the center-back moved to Brighton and Hove Albion, where he also immediately established himself as a key player. “They lost a world-class player and weren’t able to adequately replace him in that position,” Basler said.

Photo: IMAGO

Armin Veh defends HSV

Armin Veh, meanwhile, struck a far more positive tone regarding HSV. On “Doppelpass,” the former coach especially backed Merlin Polzin, whose recent contract extension had sparked plenty of debate because of the club’s sporting crisis. “After eight years with HSV, he got them promoted and, despite a difficult season, kept them up. If you don’t place trust in that, it’s your own fault,” said Veh.

At the same time, he downplayed the significance of the new deal. “That’s certainly remarkable, but he first has to make it to 2029,” Veh said with regard to the long-term extension. “The shelf life of coaches isn’t that long. Real three-year contracts don’t really exist anymore.”

The win over Köln has at least given both HSV and Polzin some breathing room for now. Basler, however, is sticking to his warning and still believes the Hanseatic club is far from out of the woods despite this first positive result.

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