Former coach on HSV's start to the season: "I was worried" | OneFootball

After the international break, a pivotal clash between HSV and FC Augsburg is on the schedule.

Even coaching legend Armin Veh, who has managed both clubs during his career, sees the match as an absolute key game in the relegation battle. He especially believes HSV are capable of a lot.

At the start of the season, though, Veh was anything but optimistic. “After the first few matches, I was seriously worried about Hamburg. Not much was clicking,” the 65-year-old recalled in an interview with Bild. In fact, HSV looked unstable for a long time and failed to find a clear concept either defensively or offensively. The promoted side picked up just one point from its first three matches and also came close to being knocked out of the DFB-Pokal.

But things have changed in the meantime. Veh also sees clear progress: “HSV have stabilized now. At times, they’ve played some decent football.” He is particularly impressed by their basic strengths: “I really like HSV’s great passion and their strength on the counterattack.” In addition, with players like Fabio Vieira and Luka Vuskovic, the team has quality “that other teams in the relegation battle simply do not have.”

Photo: Getty Images

Veh praises HSV coach Polzin!

With the Augsburg match in mind, Veh also sees clear areas to target. “FC Augsburg are not overpowering. If HSV win this match, I’m convinced they will stay up.” The key, above all, will be stopping Augsburg’s key player Alexis Claude-Maurice: “If you neutralize the Frenchman, FCA are only half as strong.”

Nur die Raute – All the news about HSV

Keeping the Fuggerstadt club’s difference-maker under control will be a task for Merlin Polzin and the Hanseatic coaching staff. Veh had extremely positive words for the 35-year-old young coach. “He seems down-to-earth, pleasantly calm. I haven’t heard anything rash or even stupid come out of his mouth.”

Even now, Veh said, Polzin “has already secured a place in the HSV history books with the club’s return to the Bundesliga. And if he keeps them up, another glittering chapter will be added.”

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