Jonas Boldt: “We didn’t want to suddenly turn everything on its head”

HSV’s head of sport Jonas Boldt outlined his thoughts about Tim Walter’s sacking to the media on Monday afternoon. Several journalists and camera operators were present at the press conference in the Volksparkstadion and listened with intent as the 42-year-old detailed the reasons that led to the 48-year-old head coach being let go. Boldt also addressed the issue of finding a successor for Walter and the current situation the team finds itself in. He noted that former assistant coach Merlin Polzin has an important role to play now, since he will act as the club’s interim head coach for HSV’s next game against Hansa Rostock.

Jonas Boldt spoke in detail about...

...Tim Walter being relieved of his duties: It definitely wasn’t an easy decision for me to make. We’ve built something together here over the past two-and-a-half years, a new sense of joy in the city and at the club. We created a connection between the club, the team and the fans. At a point in time where clubs and fans seem to be growing apart, it’s quite a rare achievement. It’s important that we thank Tim and his coaching staff for doing that. He went above and beyond what is normally expected of a head coach. He was HSV through and through. That being said, we were wary that things would go sideways and start to get out of hand if we continued down this path. Seeing the sense of uncertainty on the pitch and in the stands forced our hand. We were no longer convinced that we’d be able to achieve our goals and continue on our journey. That was the overriding factor – it’s about the cause, it’s not personal.

"We are certain that Merlin Polzin will definitely get to the chance to be involved. He’s a very talented coach who adds a lot of value to our club.”

... the new interim head coach: We didn’t want to suddenly turn everything on its head, which is why we came to the decision to appoint Merlin Polzin. He’s been with us for three-and-a-half years and has made great progress. He knows the team really well, and they know him. There are a few things that need adjusting, which we discussed over the winter break and have worked on already during the training camp. The away fixtures against Schalke and Hertha proved that the problems we need to address aren’t too big. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case for us when we’ve played at home. Experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions like this won’t do us any good. Therefore, rather than completely changing everything around, the way forward is to tap into our existing potential. For this to work, we’ll need to stay calm and be resilient, and will make a careful decision on how to proceed. We are certain, however, that Merlin Polzin will definitely get to the chance to be involved, regardless of the circumstances. He brings a lot of expertise to the table and has played a major role in shaping the team over the past few years. He’s a very talented coach who adds a lot of value to our club.

...the general situation at the club: It’s about the big picture here and I hold the team accountable too. They want to take on responsibility, even though they’ve struggled at times to do so as a collective. We have to work together again. In football, things can go south quickly. We’re currently still in the mix at the top of the table and not completely in crisis, but we’ve made it unnecessarily difficult for ourselves. I’ve picked up a sense of uncertainty that’s maybe a fair bit bigger than in previous months and years when we’ve been in other tough situations.

...his leadership role: I’m someone who likes a challenge and has taken up a position as a head of sport and a leader who can give people the opportunity to develop further and drive things forward. There’s always a risk which comes with that. We’ve failed to get promoted multiple times, which is something you can pin on the head of sport. Equally though, we’ve worked hard on a lot of things, like financial stability and a sense of happiness and community, despite all the setbacks. I stand and fight for these things and will keep pushing them forward. I haven’t thought yet about if my personal situation could be viewed differently.