Hamburg Fight to Survive

Normally you'd expect a lot of personnel changes -- starting with the coach -- at a big club that has sunk as low as Hamburg. Surprisingly Hamburg decided to stick with Thomas Doll and the players they have. They've only made one major signing, but they hope that one will be enough.

A fresh face between the posts

Much of the focus in January has been on new goalkeeper Frank Rost. The cantankerous Rost fell out of favor at Schalke, but he's been put in charge in Hamburg, after neither of the club's other two keepers could establish themselves.

Hamburg are hoping not just for saves, but also leadership from the 33-year-old veteran. "He the right man for the job," Guido Behsen, the deputy editor of the sports section of the daily Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper, said. "He can give the other players a kick in the rear."

Marcus Scholz, who covers the team for the daily Hamburger Abendblatt, concurs. "He's a strong personality with charisma and authority," Scholz said. "And his position is undisputed."

Indeed, Rost showed considerable presence in Hamburg's first pre-season friendly, directing his new teammates on the field and making a crucial late save to preserve a 2-1 win over Iran.

A trio up front

Much has been made of Hamburg selling off both of its starting interior defenders before the start of this season, but it's Hamburg's offense -- not its defense -- that's been truly ineffective. Coach Thomas Doll began rotating his strikers in hopes someone would get hot. That may be about to change.

"Doll is in the process of making up his mind," Behsen said, "and it looks like he's decided on Sanogo, with his strength in the air."

Striker Boubacar Sanogo got off to a good start last year but was often benched after a fallow spell. Nonetheless, he remains Hamburg's top scorer, and Doll might be well advised to place his faith in the man from Ivory Coast.

But Scholz thinks Doll will also want to deploy Sanogo and fellow strikers Daniel Ljuboja and Paolo Guerrero tactically.

"They're very different sorts of forwards," Scholz said. "Sanogo is strong, Ljuboja's fast and Guerrero's the most technically skilled. It will depend how they match up against each individual opponent."

An end to the red cards

Hamburg led the league in bad behavior with five red cards, and what's worse, the hot-headed culprits were usually sent off with lots of time left in matches.

"Discipline comes with success," Scholz stressed. "If they get a few wins, they'll be less hectic. One thing, though, is clear -- outbursts like Rafael van der Vaart's red card against Bochum are not going to be tolerated."

"I don't think there's a lot Doll can do about it," Behsen said. "The players themselves have to control their emotions and act like professionals."

Hamburg is the only team that has been in the current first-division Bundesliga every year since its creation in 1963. The squad is going to have to do a much better job of keeping its cool, if Hamburg is to preserve that distinction.

History on their side

Still players, coaches and journalists are optimistic that Hamburg can rescue themselves.

"Yes, they can do it," said Behsen, "although it's not going to be easy. But they have the potential, and you probably don't need 40 points this year to stay up. 37-38 will probably be enough."

Scholz is more cautious. "They can survive, if the squad understands they're standing on the edge of the abyss. The question is: whether they do truly understand this. They also have to use the winter break to come together as a team."

Some key players are returning from injury, so on paper at least they should be better. And historical precedent is in their favor. At the winter break of the 2002-3 season, Hertha Berlin were exactly where Hamburg are now -- second from the bottom with 13 points.

Berlin went on to pick up 7 wins and 5 draws and save their skins. Hamburg fans are hoping that their team can stage a similar springtime resuscitation.