Schonlau: “The fans showed just what this club is all about”

With the loss on matchday 33 crushing HSV’s hopes of reaching the top flight, the Rothosen will be competing in the 2. Liga once again in the coming season. Although the side’s fate did not solely rest on this game alone, the disappointment was palpable when the final whistle blew at the Home Deluxe Arena. A number of the players dropped to the ground with their heads hanging low, before making their way over to the travelling fans, whose cheers carried the boys through the tough 90-minute encounter.

Chants of “Mein Hamburg lieb ich sehr” rang through the stadium with fans creating a sea of blue and white scarves, expressing their love for the players and club. “The positive reaction was not a given, but it was outstanding to see,” said team captain Sebastian Schonlau, who took the time to speak to the journalists on the back of the 1-0 defeat. The 29-year-old discussed:

...the 1-0 loss to Paderborn: We made too many individual and technical mistakes, as well as wrong decisions and incomplete passes, and we simply weren’t precise enough. You can’t slip up in these areas against a strong opponent like SC Paderborn. We showed the necessary desire and energy, but when you make these kinds of mistakes and start the game on the wrong foot, it becomes difficult to play in the manner that you set out to. We are completely to blame for what happened.

...the fans’ reaction: We’ve been saying that our fans are incredible for the past three years. Everything from the support during the game to their reaction afterwards is completely out of the ordinary and not a given, but it was absolutely outstanding and epitomises this club. There was an amazing sense of passion on display, and after playing in a game like this one, you wonder in that moment whether you really deserve a reaction so positive. Because, at the end of the day, we’re the ones who messed up, no one else.

...the season as a whole: With the exception of the first three or four games of the season, we never managed to put in a run of consistent performances at any point in the season. We've always played well in individual games or during certain stages of the season, but we've never managed to deliver a series of strong performances and win a consecutive number of games. We’ve been through some difficult periods, with too many ups and downs. So, at the end of the day, when you ultimately don’t deserve it, you shouldn’t be surprised when you can’t secure promotion. 

...next season’s goals: We’re not focusing too much on that right now. At the moment, it still hurts that we missed out on achieving our main target once again – it’s not easy for us to come to terms with. We had our sights set on the goal for the entire year, we put the work in, and came up with a lot of good ideas, but things didn’t go our way in the end and our efforts weren’t enough. And that stings. We’ll have to wait for things to die down before deciding how we approach next season. However, no matter what happens, the fans showed today just what this club is all about.