Management crisis could do SV Hamburg harm (News Feature)

Hamburg - SV Hamburg face tough times as fears are rising that a club management crisis could spill over to the team and prevent further top results. Hamburg reached the UEFA Cup and German cup semi-finals last season and finished fifth in the Bundesliga to qualify for the the Europa League. But coach Martin Jol has now left after just one year for Ajax Amsterdam in his native Netherlands and sports director Dietmar Beiersdorfer quit on Tuesday night after seven years over long-standing differences with club president Bernd Hoffmann. 'Is Hoffmann sinking the HSV,' asked the Bild daily in the northern German port city on Thursday. Beiersdorfer accused Hoffmann of interfering in his areas as the Hamburger Abendblatt daily named Hoffmann a 'power player' who is more and more turning the club into a 'Hoffmann SV.' 'Unfortunately HSV is losing its soul,' said Beiersdorfer, a former team captain in Hamburg. Jol was even more blunt, saying that Hoffmann was living in a fairy tale because 'He wants to sell all players and still win titles.' Hoffmann's main aim is success for the only club never relegated from the Bundesliga but without a title since the 1987 German cup win. The biggest moment, the European Champions Cup title, even dates back another four years to 1983. Hamburg have found a new coach in Bruno Labbadia but due to the leadership crisis the club is yet to hire a new player for the season which starts in early August. Ivica Olic has left for Bayern Munich and Hamburg need to strengthen their team further in order not to run out of steam again like they did at the end of the past season. No one argues that the merchant Hoffmann has done Hamburg good on the economic side, transforming the club from a debt-ridden outfit 'into the second best brand in the league after Bayern Munich' (Sueddeutsche Zeitung). But his leadership style remains controversial. Hoffmann admitted to have been too emotional at the end of the past season but he also insisted that as the club boss 'I must overlook the development in all areas, including the sporting side.' It remains unclear who will succeed Beiersdorfer with Bild observing that 'It will be interesting to see whether Hoffmann will bring in strong man - or a puppet.'