Kuntz aims to change the course at HSV.

Kuntz plans to change HSV's situation.

Following their failure to make it to the Bundesliga, Hamburger SV (HSV) has made a significant change in management, replacing sports director Jonas Boldt with Stefan Kuntz. Kuntz, a former national player and long-time successful coach of the German U21 national team, will be taking over the role immediately.

Boldt's time as head of sport at HSV has come to an end. The supervisory board has decided to terminate his contract, which was set to run until 2025, prematurely. His dismissal is due to not being able to get the club back to the Bundesliga after many failed attempts.

Supervisory Board Chairman Michael Papenfuß explained the decision, saying, "We've completed our detailed analysis process, and it's clear that we need a fresh start in sport after missing out on promotion for the sixth time in a row. We're grateful for Jonas' contributions outside of the core sporting activities."

Stefan Kuntz, the new sports director, is set to bring positive changes to the club. His soccer background, management experience, and ability to develop the existing structures and responsibilities will be key in achieving the long-awaited promotion. Kuntz had previously considered taking on the role of coach at HSV in December but opted for the sports director position instead.

Jonas Boldt has expressed "disappointment" but also "good times" during his tenure. He had initially believed he would remain in the role but faced criticism following another unsuccessful attempt at promotion. He had brought in five coaches during his time at the club, including Daniel Thioune, Tim Walter, and Steffen Baumgart, with the goal to regain promotion. In the 2022/23 season, HSV ranked fourth in the table, the same spot as in the previous three years, and finished with 58 points.

Despite improvements in the club's finances and fan popularity, there has been little return on the pitch. Rivals FC St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel managed to achieve promotion with smaller stadiums and budgets, leaving HSV behind. Boldt was also criticized for retaining Tim Walter too long. He had shown confidence in the coach before the team eventually parted ways.

HSV's finances and fan popularity have seen improvements recently. The 2022/23 financial year ended with a profit of €7.8 million, and the Volksparkstadion was sold out nine times during the 2023/24 season. An average of 55,906 fans attended each match, a record for the club. However, the improvements on off the pitch haven't translated to success on the field. New sports director Stefan Kuntz's main task will be to right the ship and steer HSV towards the Bundesliga.

Paraphrased Story:

After falling short of making it to the Bundesliga, Hamburger SV (HSV) has swayed in a new direction, as they've appointed Stefan Kuntz as the new sports director, replacing Jonas Boldt. The former national player and successful U21 national team coach is taking charge effective immediately.

Boldt's tenure as head of sport at the second-division soccer club HSV is now over, as the supervisory board recently terminated his contract ahead of schedule. Undoubtedly, the club's trust in him to lead them back to the Bundesliga had dwindled. Supervisory Board Chairman Michael Papenfuß stated, "We've completed our thorough analysis, and it's evident that we need some fresh air when it comes to sport after failing to gain promotion for the sixth consecutive time."

Though acknowledging Boldt's accomplishments, Papenfuß went on to say, "We're beyond grateful for his efforts beyond the realm of sport."

Kuntz, the new sports director, is expected to come in and shake things up. His extensive soccer background, past management experience, and ability to advance the existing structures will all be explored in an effort to elevate the team to the Bundesliga.

Stefan Kuntz was previously connected to HSV as a candidate for the role of coach last December. He later denied being in talks for the sports director position but ultimately accepted it. Papenfuß says the new director will concentrate on making the necessary decisions, such as whether to keep Steffen Baumgart as coach and retaining key players like Robert Glatzel, Laszlo Benes, and Ludovit Reis.

Boldt had been trying to achieve the same goal for some time, but he'd faced criticism in the past season. HSV placed fourth in the table with 58 points, failing to make the grade yet again under his leadership. As a result, Boldt had been linked with Felix Magath and Jörg Schmadtke, though they both turned down the offer.

During his time at the club, Boldt managed the team alongside CFO Frank Wettstein and CEO Bernd Hoffmann before Hoffmann was let go in March 2020. In the aftermath, Boldt and Wettstein took charge. Wettstein exited in early 2022, only to be succeeded by Thomas Wüstefeld before Eric Huwer stepped in on January 1, 2023. The club had been embroiled in competence debates with former sports director Michael Mutzel, but the two reached a settlement in September 2022.

In regards to the club's financial position and fan support, HSV has seen steady growth in both areas. The 2022/23 financial year brought in a profit of €7.8 million, and the Volksparkstadion was full for nine matches during the 2023/24 season. An average of 55,906 fans attended each game, making it a record for the club. Nonetheless, there's been minimal success on the field. Smaller clubs like FC St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel made it to the Bundesliga, while HSV lagged behind due to disappointing play by their recruits.

Whilst Boldt had faith in Tim Walter, who was eventually let go, the club managed to grab a spot in the pesky relegation places on 25 of the season's 34 games. The club found itself in their usual fourth-place position with 58 points. Despite these struggles, Boldt reminisced on the "challenging and memorable" time he'd had at the traditional club: "Alongside the grand disappointment [of not making it to the Bundesliga], I still have a positive overall feeling."

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Stefan Kuntz, as the new sports director of Hamburger SV (HSV), aims to utilize his soccer background and coaching experience to guide HSV towards promotion in Bundesliga 2. The former German U21 national team coach will be working to improve the team's structures and responsibilities, following the dismissal of Jonas Boldt due to his inability to lead HSV back to the Bundesliga.

Despite HSV ranking fourth in Bundesliga 2 and having a record crowd attendance, Stefan Kuntz understands the need for a fresh start in the sporting department to ultimately achieve promotion and improve the team's on-field performance.

Source: www.ntv.de