Tim Walter would rather talk about football before the second division top game in Heidenheim. But the coach of the in-form Hamburger SV is confronted with other, unpleasant issues. However, he is certain that his team is stress-resistant in these turbulent times.
HSV coach Tim Walter had already suspected before the obligatory media round about the upcoming game day that the second division top game of Hamburger SV at 1. FC Heidenheim would only be a sideline. Therefore, the 47-year-old should not have been particularly surprised by the questions about the accident of Jean-Luc Dompé and William Mikelbrencis and the status of the doping case Mario Vuskovic. But at the same time, it was noted that Walter would have much preferred to chat about the second-placed game on Saturday (8:30 p.m./Sport1 and Sky) at third-placed in Heidenheim.
"That's life. In general, life is capricious and not everything can always be foreseen," said Walter about the non-sporting secondary pitches on which he and HSV are sometimes forced to play. "Nevertheless, there are things in other clubs that don't work that way. Of course we have them too, time and time again." There is more media support in Hamburg than in other areas or in other cities. "We have to deal with it, we have to live with it. I think we're doing quite well." And in terms of sport, you notice "that you can master things".
Even if he has a stable team, the accident on Monday evening with the two Frenchmen came at a bad time. "We have to deal with the situation professionally. And professionally means the game in this case," he said. "We are professional athletes, so our focus is designed accordingly." After all, after the two successes at the start of the second half of the season against Eintracht Braunschweig (4:2) and at Hansa Rostock (2:0), HSV can clearly distance one of its main competitors in the promotion battle with a win on Saturday.
Walter initially left open whether Dompé would be allowed to help in Heidenheim. "If he qualifies athletically, then he can also play at the weekend," said the head coach. The Frenchman is actually set in the Hanseatic attack. He has had seven assists and one goal in 13 league games so far. On Monday evening, the striker caused a car accident on Hafenstrasse in Hamburg and left the scene of the accident with his teammate William Mikelbrencis (18). The police are investigating on suspicion of a prohibited car race and unauthorized removal from the scene of the accident.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old apologized to the team and showed guilty in front of the media. HSV had previously announced that it would impose a heavy fine on him and his compatriot Mikelbrancis. "We have to wait and see what the courts will decide about everything else," said Walter. Both players would face it. "What we can regulate, also as far as the team is concerned, that's what we have regulated. We can't always regulate what the boys do outside."
The doping case of HSV defender Vuskovic has not yet been settled at all. Walter is still hoping for a positive outcome for his player and speaks of "justified doubts". The sports court of the German Football Association in Frankfurt/Main decided on Thursday after the second day of negotiations to commission an independent expert and scheduled another day of negotiations for March 10th. "The fact that the matter is being extended again raises even more questions," said Walter, adding with a view to the criticism of the doping test procedure and its evaluation. "Not everything is as professional as you would imagine."
The 47-year-old emphasized that the club stands by the 21-year-old Croatian. "He's my player, he's our player," said Walter. "We do everything to ensure that the right decision is made and that the truth comes to light." You see, "if everything were as clear as it seems, then a judgment would have been made." Vuskovic is accused of doping with the blood doping agent erythropoietin (Epo). He denies it and maintains his innocence.
Walter was allowed to talk a little bit about the upcoming game and the opponent at the matchday press conference. "The best home team meets the best away team. We are so self-confident that we want to go there and win," said Walter. And with a view to the background noise, he said: "The boys have shown that they can deal with such situations, with stressful situations."
