Team
27.01.22
Merlin Polzin Extends Contract with HSV
The 31-Year-Old assistant coach signs a new contract with Die Rothosen until Summer 2024
Hamburger SV is ensuring continuity in the coaching staff of the professional team and has prematurely extended the contract with assistant coach Merlin Polzin, which expires on 30 June this year. The 31-year-old, who joined HSV from VfL Osnabrück for the 2020/21 season, signed a new two-year contract today (Thursday, 27 January) and will thus remain with the Reds until summer 2024. "Merlin has contributed to HSV as a team player with full passion and energy from day one. Whether on the pitch instructing drills or analysing our game or the opponent - the mix of his qualities, his obsession with detail and his meticulousness are exceptional," explained HSV board member Jonas Boldt. "He has developed significantly again during his time at HSV, so there was no question for us to extend with him. We are really pleased that Merlin is continuing our path at HSV with us." Merlin Polzin, who was born in Hamburg and is a self-confessed HSV fan with strong ties to the club from an early age, is also looking forward to the continued cooperation and says: "Hamburg and HSV play a big role for me personally and are something special for me. We have a lot of plans here and it's great fun to be involved in making the boys better and to become better ourselves. For that, the confidence from the head coach, the coaching team and the boys is completely there, so it's an absolutely great day for me to be able to extend my contract today."
Meticulous Worker
Merlin Polzin was born in Hamburg on 7 November 1990 and grew up in the Bramfeld district. As a player, he kicked for the local Bramfelder SV up to the Oberliga, but had to end his playing career early due to arthrosis of the toes. At the age of 21, he changed sides and embarked on a coaching career. He started as a youth coach at HSV before moving to VfL Osnabrück in 2014. There, Polzin met Daniel Thioune, alongside whom he coached various teams, including the professional team for three years, with whom the team was promoted to the second division as third-division champions in 2018 and subsequently managed to stay in the league. For the 2020/21 season, the duo moved to Hamburger SV, where a circle was completed for Polzin, who was a guest at the old Volksparkstadion as a young boy and later joined his childhood friends in the North Stand. Since then, Polzin has impressed in his role as assistant coach with his meticulous work on and off the pitch. The 31-year-old is known as a detail-obsessed improvementist, whose responsibilities include individual and team tactical analysis as well as preparing for and following up on matches, in addition to training.