Nuremberg (dpa / lby) - Before the game of 1. FC Nuremberg against Hamburger SV, "Club" trainer Dieter Hecking sees the fan potential of the traditional clubs impressively demonstrated by the large number of spectators. "Traditional clubs must not die out," said the interim coach of the second division soccer team in an interview with "Sport Bild". "Because they can develop such a large fan potential - especially when things are going well."
Around 57,000 spectators are expected in Hamburg's Volksparkstadion for the game on Saturday (1 p.m. / Sky). About 3,000 fans from the Franconian metropolis want to travel with them. "If we were in second place, we would have 40,000 to 45,000 spectators at many games," Hecking is certain. The sports director, who coached HSV until 2020, took over the position on the Nuremberg coaching bench on an interim basis after the separation from Markus Weinzierl.
"I am convinced that HSV will rise this year," said Hecking about his former club and the opponent on Saturday. A lot of calm has returned to the team, which helps with ambitious goals. "Because with big traditional clubs there is always one or the other disruptive fire. It doesn't matter at what level." After 22 match days, the Hamburgers occupy second place in the table. Nuremberg is twelfth in the table.
