BERLIN, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Bundesliga club Hamburger SV has extended the contracts of head coach Merlin Polzin and his coaching staff despite the team's winless start to the season, the club announced Friday.
The 35-year-old Polzin signed a new long-term contract alongside assistants Loic Fave, Richard Krohn and Max Bergmann, with the club reaffirming its confidence in the coaching team.
Hamburg has lost its opening three Bundesliga matches without scoring, conceding 12 goals to sit at the bottom of the table. Sporting executive board member Kathleen Kruger said the contract extensions reflected the club's long-term commitment, while acknowledging the pressure created by the recent results.
"We have communicated our fundamental commitment clearly, early on and repeatedly," Kruger said. "We will move into the future together, while also being aware of the current sporting situation. Trust does not mean results become secondary; it is based on critical assessment."
She added that Polzin and his assistants had earned the club's backing through their "expertise, diligence, hard work and daily passion."
Sporting director Claus Costa, who has worked with Polzin for six years, also praised the coach's development. "Our coaching team impresses me both professionally and personally," Costa said. "I have had insight into Merlin's daily work for years and witnessed how he has continually developed as a leader."
A Hamburg native, Polzin initially took interim charge on November 24, 2024, before being appointed permanently around the turn of the year. He had previously served as an assistant with the first team since the 2020-21 season.
Together with Fave and Krohn, who had previously worked in HSV's youth setup, Polzin guided Hamburg back to the Bundesliga after seven years in the second tier. Bergmann joined from Hoffenheim II ahead of the 2025-26 campaign as an assistant coach specializing in analysis. Hamburg subsequently finished 13th in their first season back in the top flight.
Polzin is currently the fifth-longest-serving head coach in the Bundesliga and has averaged 1.38 points per game across 62 competitive matches since taking charge. "Our shared commitment is a sign of trust, and at the same time I see it as a great responsibility," Polzin said.
Hamburg hosts Cologne in the fourth round of the Bundesliga on Saturday. ■
