HSV coach Tim Walter stands out with a gesture in the 2nd Bundesliga in Düsseldorf

HSV trainer Tim Walter made a derogatory gesture after the Second division game at Fortuna Dusseldorf sparked discussions. When asked what he could say about the movement, the 47-year-old coach replied Hamburger SV evading the ARD “Sportschau”: “Nothing at all. They already know that you should also treat other people well.”

After the 2: 2 of his team, Walter had in Dusseldorf on Friday night with his left hand in the crook of his right arm, stopped moving and then stroked his hair with his right hand. A video of the scene was widely discussed on social networks.

After being suspended for a game, the HSV coach was back on the sidelines in Düsseldorf. Before the international break, he played Hamburg’s home game against Holstein Kiel (0:0) have to watch from the stands. In the previous away game at Karlsruher SC (2:4) he received a red card for lamenting. “I don’t want that anymore, up there,” Walter said after the game against Kiel about his suffering as a grandstand guest.

HSV is on relegation rank

No one made a happy impression at HSV, regardless of the fuss surrounding Walter. The 2: 2 at the last strong Fortuna from Düsseldorf caused a lot of frustration and no joy among players and the coach. The point was not enough in the fight for promotion to the second Bundesliga. It was no consolation that Düsseldorf also struggled with the draw and would have to bury their upward ambitions. “In the end it’s a draw that doesn’t help either team,” said Hamburg’s Midfielder Jonas Meffert on Friday evening.

The HSV project ascent is not in danger yet. But the club (50 points) is currently in relegation place three. The distance to the teams behind is reassuring, but Darmstadt 98 (55) and 1. FC Heidenheim have settled on the two direct promotion places.

Before the crunch time of the season, it becomes more and more apparent where the problem area for the Hamburgers lies: at the back. Only goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes met the highest standards in Düsseldorf. His front men, however, seemed too often unsettled, especially in the first half. “We have to get back to zero at the back,” he demanded. Meffert also complained: “We’re leading 1-0, didn’t have any pressure at all and then served the opponent the goals on a silver platter.”

The game in Düsseldorf made it clear how dependent the defense is on their boss Sebastian Schonlau. The captain sat out because of his fifth yellow card. Even at the last away game in Karlsruhe, the 28-year-old was sorely missed due to an injury. Schonlau is irreplaceable in central defence. Not even Mario Vuskovic, who because of his Suspension for EPO doping missing since mid-November. “I can’t pull Schonlau out of a hat, I can’t pull Vuskovic out of a hat,” said Walter, who recently described the two as “the two best central defenders in the league”. “I have to play with the ones I have.”

This staff cannot represent the Schonlau/Vuskovic duo on an equal footing. In Düsseldorf, Walter played with a chain of three instead of the four he usually preferred. As expected, he placed Moritz Heyer and – rather unexpectedly – ​​Javi Montero in defence. Miro Muheim also played alongside. Montero and Muheim made the crucial mistakes that led to the Düsseldorf goals: When Fortuna equalized 1-1, the Spaniard allowed Dawid Kownacki (21st minute) to head the ball undisturbed. When the second goal was conceded by Düsseldorf’s Felix Klaus (28th), Muheim defended clumsily.

In the next game on Saturday (1.30 p.m. in FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and at Sky) against Hannover 96 both will be missing: Muheim because he received the fifth yellow card. Montero because he saw yellow and red (89th) – for the second time in the third game. “It’s unbelievable, two yellow and red cards – you can’t just brush that under the table,” said goalkeeper Heuer-Fernandes. Montero was preferred to the young Jonas David, who often forms the defender duo with Schonlau in the second half of the season. But without the captain at his side, David himself has repeatedly shown weaknesses.

Montero, who was brought in in the winter, has so far not proved to be the reinforcement he was hoping for – and didn’t take his chance in Düsseldorf either. “He’s not doing it on purpose. The team suffers. He has to learn from it,” said coach Walter about the Spaniard’s unfortunate performance. It is unlikely that the loan from Besiktas Istanbul will be able to continue his learning process in Hamburg beyond the summer.

After all, Walter can rely on his team being good for goals on offense. Laszlo Benes’ early hit (5th) in the margin after a weak penalty shot by him and the own goal by Düsseldorf’s Christoph Klarer (75th) when he tried to clear Sonny Kittel were the only results in front of 52,200 spectators. There are still eight games to reach the self-declared goal. Walter praised his team in Düsseldorf for what he saw as a “very, very good game”. “We need to reward ourselves more. And we will do that in the coming weeks,” said the 47-year-old. “Our way is always forward.”