Bundesliga
Polzin: "We know what the derby means"
As the man who led Hamburg back to the Bundesliga's promised land after seven seasons in the second division, Merlin Polzin now has the responsibility of overseeing the club's first top-flight Hamburg city derby against St. Pauli in almost 15 years.
After their opening day 0-0 draw away to Borussia Mönchengladbach, Polzin will be hoping for his side's first three points of the season when HSV host St. Pauli at the Volksparkstadion on Friday.
Ahead of the derby, we caught up with him in an exclusive interview for his thoughts on that match, and what life is like back in the top flight...
bundesliga.com: Merlin Polzin, congratulations on your first Bundesliga game. What’s your takeaway from the 0-0 draw in Gladbach?
Polzin: “We’re definitely ready for the challenge of the Bundesliga. I think you could see that we’d worked on a few things during pre-season but also that it’s still a work in progress. That will continue, both in terms of our ideas on the pitch, as well as the dynamics within the team. Nevertheless, it’s definitely given us - and everyone associated with HSV - a really positive feeling, and we’re ready for what’s to come.”
Watch: Hamburg held at Gladbach
bundesliga.com: Going back a bit, how did it feel to lead HSV back into the Bundesliga as a coach?
Polzin: “It was a lot of hard work - I mean that less so in reference to me personally, but the hard work put in from the entire backroom staff and, above all, the team.
"We said from the start, when I took over, that we wanted to seize this opportunity with everything we have. We didn’t want anyone to be able to accuse us of having not tried come the end of the season. That was from day one.
"It was an incredible feeling when 10 May came around, and the experience we had in the city on 19 May will definitely remain an unforgettable day for everyone associated with HSV. But it wasn’t a dream that came true overnight for us; it was the result of hard work.”
Watch: Hamburg back at last!
bundesliga.com: What does your new captain Yussuf Poulsen bring to the team? What did you see of that against Gladbach?
Polzin: “Yussuf speaks several languages and he's been through pretty much everything in the Bundesliga. Above all, he’s a player that we coaches and especially the team can look to for advice.
"His leadership qualities are an exciting aspect, but he’s also just a really good player in terms of the runs he makes, his quality to win high balls and identify space. He's the complete package. For me as a coach, his characteristics are unique in our squad, but you also sense with Yussuf that the success of the team comes above all else. That’s something that will definitely help us on our Bundesliga journey and to achieve our goals.”
Watch: The best of Yussuf Poulsen
bundesliga.com: How would you describe the rivalry between HSV and St. Pauli to someone who's not familiar?
Polzin: "Hamburg is a football-mad city with two clubs which polarise the fan base. From my perspective, one club represents the city, while another represents a smaller part of the city. I think the rivalry between big and small in terms of the clubs’ impact is definitely present among the fans.
"In a sporting sense, we've done incredibly well by achieving promotion, but so have St. Pauli in recent years. We acknowledge that and also know that the gulf in quality between the two sides that existed in the past is no longer there. It’s now a Bundesliga fixture.
"We’re Germany’s footballing capital - we can confidently make that claim. There’s so much energy around football and it’s always the main topic of conversation in the city, especially this week."
bundesliga.com: Former HSV coach Steffen Baumgart once said: “We are the city,” in relation to the rivalry with St. Pauli. How important is winning the derby for HSV fans?
Polzin: "First of all, I think we’re all just excited we’ve got a home game back in the Bundesliga this Friday and the fact it's the derby, and that we have the opportunity to win it, is an added bonus.
"As coaches and players, of course we know what the game means for the fans. But everyone can be certain that we’ll do our utmost to try and get the win inside a really loud Volksparkstadion.
"However, we also know we don’t want to let derbies define our season. We want to establish HSV in the Bundesliga. Derby victories are a part of that, of course, and we’ll give our all to claim them."