Hürzeler versus Walter: the city derby as a coaching duel
Fabian Hürzeler and Tim Walter are unlikely to become friends in this life. The FC St. Pauli coach and his colleague from Hamburger SV made no secret of this ahead of the city derby in the 2nd Bundesliga.
He not only has respect for Walter because of his personality, "but also because of his work", said the 30-year-old Hürzeler ahead of the league match on Friday (18:30/Sky). At the same time, he emphasized: "It's not a friendship, of course. I don't have to make a secret of that."
Walter, who is 18 years older, said: "I can confirm that." Events such as in the Regionalliga Bayern six years ago, when Hürzeler as player-coach of FC Pipinsried clashed with Walter as coach of FC Bayern Munich II, or the clash between the two alpha animals in the last city derby in April in the Volksparkstadion (4:3 for HSV) did not promote an intimate relationship between the two.
However, ahead of the 110th edition of the "premier league of derbies", Walter also spoke of his respect for the work of the city rivals and, above all, for Hürzeler. "I think he's doing a good job for his age," he said.
With Hürzeler, things have only gone uphill for FC St. Pauli
Whereby the latter statement is an understatement: since Walter's young colleague was promoted from assistant to head coach almost a year ago, the FC St. Pauli team has only gone uphill - all the way to the top of the table. In 31 league games, the successor to club icon Timo Schultz won 21 matches and conceded just two defeats. The last in April in the wild 109th city derby.
FC St. Pauli oscillated between the top third of the table and the relegation zone for many years. Now the team is praised by experts as the best in the 2nd Bundesliga. In eleven months, Hürzeler has built a stable structure. There have been no downward swings like at HSV.
"FC St. Pauli has developed superbly under Hürzeler," said Willi Reimann, who once coached the Kiezclub and HSV. "It's not a run, it has a plan, a foundation. That's extraordinary for such a young coach, you just have to say that."
Hürzeler has taken the team to another level. Midfield stalwart Marcel Hartel and striker Johannes Eggestein are examples of this. "You can't say that we have a first and second tier. We are now at the same level. Anyone can play there," said Eggestein a few weeks ago. There is "positive competition".
A working-class club celebrates the art of soccer
Hürzeler has taught the workers' club the art of soccer and yet is one of the few to maintain a critical, sober view. "Values such as humility and modesty are very, very important to me," says the son of a Swiss dentist and a German.
In his first year as head coach, he has "learned a lot, and in all different areas". He has learned that he cannot treat all players the same, "but has to see them as individual people". It is important "that you listen". He had to lead by example to get people behind him and make them feel valued.
Walter has not yet achieved the big goal with HSV
However, his colleague Walter is ahead of him in one respect: Hürzeler has not yet experienced a crisis. In his two-and-a-half years as HSV coach, Walter has had to moderate a number of low points. In his favor: he always managed to get out of them. He has not yet managed to return to the Bundesliga - despite HSV's squad being named as the strongest before each season. So far, two third places and the respective failure in the relegation have resulted.
This season, Walter has had to explain often enough why his team has an unblemished record of seven wins in seven home games at home, but does not come close to reaching the same level away from home. It can happen that he reacts irritably to questions he doesn't like at press conferences. Despite their weakness on the road, Walter and his team are second in the table - a position that 16 of his fellow second division coaches would like to be in ahead of matchday 15.
Friday's game at the Millerntorstadion, seven kilometers away from the Volkspark, is not an away game for Walter. "When we play in Hamburg, we're not talking about an away game, we're talking about a derby," said Walter. "And it's just important to show emotion and willpower - and still keep a cool head."
- Despite the friendly banter between them, Fabian Hürzeler and Tim Walter acknowledge each other's achievements in their respective roles as coaches in Bundesliga 2, with Hürzeler leading FC St. Pauli to the top of the table and Walter striving for HSV's return to the Bundesliga.
- Following his promotion to head coach, Hürzeler has significantly improved FC St. Pauli's performance in Bundesliga 2, as evidenced by their consistent wins and top position in the league, with midfield stalwart Marcel Hartel and striker Johannes Eggestein being key contributors.
- Despite guiding HSV to several third-place finishes and the strongest squad in the league, Tim Walter has yet to achieve his primary goal of returning the club to the Bundesliga, despite facing challenges with his team's inconsistent performance away from home.
Source: www.dpa.com
