Under Coach Walter’s leadership, Hamburger SV (HSV) has reached an ignominious new low. Their once promising “winning streak” has morphed into a streak of home defeats, with their latest 3:4 loss against Hannover 96 marking the third consecutive home game they’ve surrendered.

The “Freest Volkspark” (Cheerful Volkspark), once their home turf advantage, has become a leaky one-room apartment, regularly welcoming opponents with open arms (or gates). Their defensive woes paint a grim picture – ten goals conceded in just three home games. This mockery of “defensive stability” promised in December is a bitter pill to swallow for HSV fans.

The recurring pattern is agonizingly familiar: sluggish starts, conceding early goals, ineffective pressing, and poor positioning. This season, they’ve fallen victim to this cycle not just against Karlsruhe and Hannover, but also in Kiel. While comebacks salvaged points against Kaiserslautern and St. Pauli, victories, not fightbacks, are needed for genuine promotion aspirations.

This “continue-so mentality” threatens to relegate HSV to the dinosaur graveyard of the second league. Their inconsistent football, stagnant development, and refusal of serious analysis raise serious questions about Walter’s suitability for the job.

While the team’s resilience in overcoming deficits reflects well on their fighting spirit, Walter must shoulder the blame for their persistent stumbles. A coach, especially in his third year, should guide his team to stand on their own two feet, not perpetually fall down.

Despite Walter’s claims of focusing on defensive improvement, the reality is disheartening. Their defensive work grows wilder and more confused with each game. Nine goals conceded in the second round alone are no testament to stability.

Walter’s explanations are wearing thin. After Karlsruhe, he blamed individual mistakes. Now, Benes’ red card is the “game changer,” conveniently ignoring “the many goals conceded at home.” Words haven’t translated into actions on the pitch, leaving fans and players frustrated.

Top striker Glatzel minced no words: “The 2. League is too good to catch up on two-goal deficits every time.” Goalkeeper Raab echoed the sentiment, highlighting the lack of “cleverness” and excessive risk-taking.

With Kiel and Fürth potentially leapfrogging them on Sunday, and Lower Saxony lurking just behind, their promotion dream is in jeopardy.

Sports director Boldt, unsurprisingly, evaded discussing the coach’s position immediately after the game. While acknowledging their overall failings, his analysis mirrors December’s post-Paderborn defeat. He deflected the coach question, stating, “A coach plays a very, very important role.”

However, the unspoken question remains: will Boldt break his “Nibelungen loyalty” to Walter before their next game against Rostock?

Only time will tell if Walter can turn things around or if HSV will be forced to confront a harsh reality – their coach might be the architect of their own demise.