HSV’s coaching team is complete

After appointing Tim Walter as head coach and Sven Höh as the new goalkeeping coach, Hamburger SV have now finalised their coaching team for the 2021/22 season: Filip Tapalovic and Julian Hübner complete the new team of coaches. In assistant coach Merlin Polzin, a familiar face will continue to work in the HSV dugout. Hannes Drews, who was assistant coach last season, is leaving the team along with goalkeeping coach Kai Rabe. "Firstly, I would like to thank Hannes Drews and Kai Rabe for their cooperation over the last few years. We intentionally took our time with the coaching team decisions. The process heavily involved the input of our head coach Tim Walter. Julian, Filip, Merlin and Sven all fit very well into our development strategy, all four of them bring their own experience to the table as well as their individual expertise," said head of sport Jonas Boldt, explaining the latest coaching additions. 

Former midfielder Filip Tapalovic, who played for VfL Bochum, TSV 1860 München and FC Schalke 04 among others at around the turn of the millennium, making a total of 138 Bundesliga appearances, was most recently the assistant coach at Australian top-flight club Melbourne Victory. Before that, the German-Croat with the UEFA pro licence was academy coach at 1860 München (2013-2015) and assistant coach at Melbourne’s league rivals Adelaide United (2017-2019). 

Julian Hübner is joining the Rothosen from SV Rülzheim. Prior to that, the 37-year-old coach with a UEFA A-licence has worked in the KSC academy for many years, including a stint as Tim Walter’s assistant in the U19s. 

Head coach Tim Walter is looking forward to working with his new colleagues: "I am convinced that we have a group of coaches that will work very well together. Julian and I have known each other for a long time from our time together at KSC. I completed my coaching qualification with Filip. Merlin was here before me, we got talking quickly and could see that we are on the same page. In Sven, the club has not only found a goalkeeping coach for the first team, but is pursuing the aim of having a goalkeeping coach with a close connection to the academy. The others all feel the same as me right now: We’re happy to be getting to work next week."