The former European champion Stefan Kuntz confessed to Coach Steffen Baumgart during his presentation in the Volkspark. The work with Claus Costa and Horst Hrubesch will also continue. The supervisory board is more cautious about promotion ambitions.
Completely relaxed in a summer polo shirt, the new HSV sports director Stefan Kuntz quickly cleared up the most pressing of all questions at Hamburger SV. “Yes, we will continue with Steffen Baumgart,” said Kuntz at his debut on Thursday, giving the current HSV coach a vote of confidence. The 61-year-old presented himself with verve when he took office at the Volksparkstadion and gave initial insights into his plans for the second division team, which once again failed to make its longed-for return to the Bundesliga.
Kuntz, who signed a contract in Hamburg until the end of the 2025/26 season, had already spoken to Baumgart for four hours on Wednesday. He and the 52-year-old coach had “exchanged views on a whole host of topics. Steffen has not yet had a chance to prepare here, to implement his ideas in a transfer period,” said Kuntz.
The work with professional football director Claus Costa and youth director Horst Hrubesch will also continue. Kuntz and Costa met at VfL Bochum in 2006.
The former national player succeeds Jonas Boldt at HSV, from whom the North Germans parted ways on Tuesday. “Jonas did a very good job,” said Kuntz, who led the German U21 national team to win the European Championship in 2017 and 2021 and most recently coached the Turkey team from 2021 to 2023. During Boldt’s walkout at the office, they exchanged ideas. “I have rarely experienced a passing of the baton like this,” said Kuntz.
HSV supervisory board chairman Michael Papenfuß explained on Thursday that the control committee had already addressed the question at the end of the first half of the season as to what should be done if the return to the Bundesliga fails for the sixth time and HSV enters its seventh as the new second division dinosaur year in the House of Commons. A shortlist was then drawn up in the spring. A possible scenario was also to install Kuntz as a trainer under board member Boldt.
After the first contact and the request to sign him up as sports director, his “heart was bubbling,” Kuntz admitted on Thursday. Then something clicked and he thought to himself: “Old Swede, this is exactly the right next step for you.”
As an active player, Kuntz was reluctant to play in the Volkspark: “You travel eight hours back by bus and you’ve got zero points.” The fan culture and the relationship between the Rothosen’s supporters and the team are all the more impressive. As examples, he cited the Bakery Jatta case and the question of his identity as well as the current support for Mario Vuskovic, who has been banned for doping.
“Generally in the Bundesliga”
The new board was naturally somewhat reserved with its goals: “In general, I would like to see HSV in the Bundesliga.” Realistically speaking, it would be “fantastic if we are in first, second or third place on matchday 30, or even reach that can.” Michael Papenfuß became more specific. The expectation of the supervisory board is “medium-term advancement. Not yet 2024/25, but after that.”
One means should be the youth card. As U21 national coach, Kuntz had contact with HSV players Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer and Levin Öztunali. But one thing is certain for the former center forward: “There will be no Stefan Kuntz squad or Steffen Baumgart squad, but an HSV squad.” It is clear that the club is above all else for the 61-year-old: “ Why I’m here has three letters: HSV.”
