The four candidates for the HSV job

Having sacked Steffen Baumgart, HSV are in search of a successor who can finally get the dinosaur of German football back into the Bundesliga. However, just who are the four candidates for the Hamburger SV job? GGFN has looked at the men possibly in line for the role. 

Urs Fischer

The Swiss national is best known for his time with Union Berlin having navigated them to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. 

Fischer experienced unprecedented success with the Irons which included qualifying for the Europa League and then the Champions League. 

Fischer left the club last season when the club looked to be battling relegation. 

A very experienced manager in both divisions, Fischer knows exactly what it takes to get out of the 2. Bundesliga and to sustain life in the top flight. 

What’s more, Fischer’s success with Union came on a budget much less than the vast majority of the league. With HSV, you wonder what he could do with a healthier budget? 

Ruud Van Nistelrooy

The 48-year-old was unbeaten in his four interim games in charge of Manchester United, winning three and drawing one, following the sacking of Erik ten Hag before the Premier League side appointed Ruben Amorim. 

Van Nistelrooy also worked as an assistant under ten Hag between July 2024 and October 2024 before taking on the interim position, and then leaving the club following the appointment of Amorim.

Prior to that, van Nistelrooy coached PSV between July 2022 and May 2023, a run of 50 games which resulted in 34 wins, eight draws and eight defeats.

What’s more, Van Nistelrooy already understands what HSV stands for having played for the club between 2010 and 2011. 

Raphaël Wicky

Wicky was most recently the head coach at Young Boys in the Swiss Premier League.

During his time in Bern, the 47-year-old led the club to a domestic double winning the league and cup. 

Much like Van Nistelrooy, Wicky too is also a former player. He made over 100 appearances for the club between 2001 and 2007. 

Bruno Labbadia

The 58-year-old is an experienced manager within German football. Additionally, Labbadia has previously managed HSV during two spells in 2009/10 and 2015/16. 

During his first spell at the club, he was dismissed just three days before HSV’s Europa League semi-final second-leg tie with Fulham – a thought wish currently feels mythical for HSV fans. 

In his second spell at the club, Labbadia managed to keep the club in the Bundesliga via the relegation play-off. The following September, he was sacked once again with the club having dropped into 16th place. 

Could this be third time lucky for Labbadia and HSV? 

GGFN | Jamie Allen