2024-05-04 06:20:58
The heated atmosphere at the city derby in Hamburg had an impact at the press conference. HSV coach Steffen Baumgart attacked FC St. Pauli. His coach reacted smugly – and hit back verbally.
William Laing reports from Hamburg
With a 1-0 (0-0) win in the derby against FC St. Pauli, Hamburger SV secured the city championship – and at the same time prevented their rival from advancing in their own Volkspark. Coach Steffen Baumgart then settled accounts with his critics on Sky. “I have the job here. I like doing it. And everyone else can see me where I’m even more beautiful,” he said.
The mood in the “Rothosen’s” home stadium was already high before kick-off. Around half an hour before the start of the game, a pack formed during the warm-up of both teams because players from the visiting team ran into the HSV half and obviously disrupted a practice session for the home team. Steffen Baumgart didn’t like that at all, as he confirmed at the press conference after the game.
“How can something like that happen? When a team runs into the wrong half,” said the HSV coach when asked how the pack was formed. Then Baumgart followed up and identified the opponent as the culprit: “And that’s intentional. This hasn’t happened for the first time.” In fact, a similar scene occurred in the first leg. Even back then, St. Pauli players had run into the opponent’s half before the game began.
“I’ve been here for 30 years and one thing is certain: nobody has any business in my half. And if I had been a player…” said Baumgart, leaving little room for interpretation of what he thought of the behavior of the FC St. players . Pauli held. “It’s also a kind of respect that I don’t run into the opponent’s exercises. Clear announcement,” he ended his statement.
Hürzeler’s counterattack: “We will continue with it”
Visiting coach Fabian Hürzeler smugly acknowledged his opponent’s statements. He snorted briefly, then said, “Yes, we’ll keep doing it.” The 31-year-old said he had never seen HSV set up the exercise in this part of the pitch. “It’s new now because they know we’re coming in.” In doing so, Hürzeler dismissed the blame for the pack formation on his team – and in return apparently assumed that HSV had made calculations when it came to the warm-up exercises.
In response to Baumgart’s demand for respect towards his players, Hürzeler said: “I find other things in life to be disrespectful. Other behaviors. But if we carry them out now, from certain people, then it will take longer tonight.” Apparently he also had some things to complain about about his opponent’s behavior. Hürzeler did not reveal who or what exactly he meant.