Poor Timing?

Will Huub Steven decision unify or fracture the club? Hamburg is surprisingly within striking distance of the “greatest team ever assembled”. This doesn’t come as a shock on HSV’s end, like Karlsruhe’s ascendancy. In fact most of us haven’t forgotten their top three position, two years ago, followed by a devastating start of last season that saw Stevens take over and turn them into one of the best teams in the Bundesliga in the second half of last year. There were some (me) who tipped them for second this year.


But all of the momentum that has swept Hamburg forward this year looks ready to be undone by the sudden announcement by manager Huub Stevens that he will take over the vacant position at PSV Eindhoven next summer. Rather than sign an extension with the team he guided from bottom to 7th starting last February, in addition to their current 3rd place position, Stevens will return to the club he spent time at as a player. Wanting to spend time with his ill wife, Stevens announced the move during the international break. While I have no issue with the decision, as Hamburg offered the short contract and will get burned by decision, I do wonder how the timing of the announcement will go down with a squad that has the confidence and ability to push the Bavarian giants all the way for the title.


Stevens seemed to have found a comfort zone with captain and talisman Rafael van der Vaart, who is poised to leave sooner rather than later. With van der Vaart towing the party line and providing leadership and attack impetus on the field, Stevens has harnessed the full potential of his temperamental Dutch superstar. How he reacts is paramount to rest of the season for HSV. It’s not that they will ever lose VDV’s contribution on the field, as he will need to continue to provide to attract the interest of Spanish and English teams. But will he become more selfish? Will his attitude, especially as captain, become one of seeing out the year and thus negating his aura of talisman? These are central questions to the Stevens decision to announce his departure.


In addition, most of these players will be facing their 2nd new manager in a year in a half come May. How is this going to affect morale? Do they see the top three, or more, as a guarantee of worth to the incoming trainer? Or do they sink into self-doubt and worry as they await the announcement and arrival of a new manager. He has gotten the best out of youngsters Vincent Kompany and Jerome Boateng. Will the youth suffer with the impending loss of their manager? And will they have veterans to help them adjust to the volatile time? And where will the squad stand in January, when they need to strengthen their striking corps, which has failed to impress this season. Will they be able to find takers willing to come to a rudderless ship?


So the next few weeks are a pivotal time for the Rothosen. Stevens will need to bring a sense of purpose to the squad in order to get the most out of them as a lame duck He will not be able to afford a dip in form if he hopes to gain on Bayern Munich as the team fights off the consistent Werder Bremen, the emerging Stuttgart and the always dangerous Schalke.