Polzin on Glatzel's scandal interview: 'went too far' | OneFootball

There was lively debate about HSV striker Robert Glatzel during the season that has just ended. And that was not solely down to the HSV forward’s performances on the pitch. The biggest source of controversy was an interview.

Now coach Merlin Polzin has given a detailed account of how he experienced his player’s public move. In the Abendblatt podcast “HSV, wir müssen reden” (“HSV, We Need to Talk”), the 35-year-old spoke openly about one of the most delicate moments of last season.

When he received the news about Glatzel’s interview in Mopo on March 17, he said he reacted immediately. In that interview, Glatzel had publicly expressed his frustration with his sporting situation at HSV. Before that, he had been left on the bench for four straight matches without playing a single minute. According to Polzin, it quickly became clear that the interview had not been coordinated with the club.

“Of course, it wasn’t a pleasant moment,” the HSV coach said in retrospect. What made it particularly explosive was that the coach and player have had a close relationship for years. That made Polzin’s verdict all the clearer. “At the start of the season, I clearly communicated how I rate him, how I planned with him, and what kind of football I want to play,” Polzin explained. Referring to Glatzel’s comments, he added: “From my point of view, he went too far in that moment. It was not in the interests of the club or the team.”

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Glatzel set to leave HSV this summer?

Rather than letting the situation escalate, Polzin still opted for a diplomatic approach. “What should define me as a coach is that it’s not about emotion, but about calmly working through the matter,” he said. The aim, he added, was to create clarity quickly and find a solution.

He was able to achieve that. In the final stretch of the season, Glatzel returned to the starting lineup and helped the Rothosen avoid relegation with one or two important moments. He only missed the last two matches due to injury. Although the differences with Polzin have long since been resolved, it remains unclear whether the 32-year-old will stay at the Volkspark beyond the summer. The striker is still considering a move away.

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