Press Conference

“The game will not be a walkover”

Christian Titz spoke in the press conference before the game against Dynamo Dresden about possibly rotating the starting XI, Die Rothosen’s upcoming opponents and his expectations for the game.

The start to the season could have been worse. Hamburger SV are clearly on the up after their strong start to the season, with three competitive victories in a row. However, Christian Titz’s team are still approaching their next game with caution. On Saturday afternoon, Die Rothosen travel to Dynamo Dresden in their second away game of the campaign. Despite Dynamo being on a poor run of form, Titz warned in a press conference that HSV must not underestimate the game. “It would be a mistake to think that we will win this match comfortably. We must be on the front foot from the off and not give Dresden the chance to get going. If that happens, they will only get stronger.” Titz expects a great atmosphere in the stadium as well, with more than 3,000 HSV fans set to travel to Dresden this weekend.

The 47-year-old coach spoke in detail about…

…the available players: Matti Steinmann and Josha Vagnoman are once again available for selection. They have trained well this week and are an option for the weekend. We purposely shortened Aaron’s training session today, but he will also be part of the squad travelling to Dresden. We will once again have the opportunity to send six or seven players to play for the U21s, one of which will be Bakery Jatta.

…possible changes to the starting XI: The lads are all highly motivated and they also show this in training. We have good squad depth and every player has individual qualities that can cause the upcoming opponent problems. We obviously want to use this to our advantage. We have the opportunity to make changes, just as we did in the DFB-Pokal.

…the opposition: I know their current interim coach from the previous times we have faced each other in matches. Dresden are a big club for the second division with lots of potential. We are expecting to face a very difficult opponent. They have impressive build-up play and look to control games.

…the match: We have to be alert. Dresden’s current form can also appear deceptive. They have an amazing stadium with a great atmosphere. The team is carried by the fans and the atmosphere. We have been warned and we know what we will be up against but I am looking forward to the game.

…the early kick-off time: I am personally familiar with this kick-off time from my stint as coach of the U17s. We have adapted our training times accordingly for the game, so the players can start to get into a rhythm. However, it is not a significant difference for us. We will put in a good performance, whether that be in the afternoon or the evening.

…potential movement in the league table: It does not bother me that we could go top of the table. It would be a nice bonus, but our main focus is on our upcoming opponents and we are focused on the preparation for this match. We will need to fight for the full 90 minutes. We must be at our best against Dresden because it will not be a walkover.

…Tatsuya Ito’s senior international call-up: I am first of all delighted for him because it is recognition of the performances he has put in. He has earned it. I hope that this call-up will spur him on and he will come back to us with a positive feeling.