#INSERT type:image caption:Despite a revamped squad, including U.S. international Julian Green, Hamburger SV are still struggling. END#
Hamburger SV coach Mirko Slomka is running out of time as the club dropped to last in the Bundesliga standings ahead of their next two matches against Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Despite a revamped starting XI which included seven new players, among them former Spurs midfielder Lewis Holtby, U.S. international Julian Green and the 35-year-old Jaroslav Drobny, who replaced former Germany international Rene Adler in goal, Hamburg's downfall continued with a 2-0 defeat at Hannover 96.
Hamburg have not scored a goal in the first three Bundesliga games of the season, and their last win, excluding a penalty shootout in the German DFB Pokal, dates back to early April 2014. Coach Mirko Slomka has come under immense pressure, but appears to remain in the dugout for the two upcoming games, which will decided his fate.
Hamburg first host Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at home, before travelling to in-form Borussia Monchengladbach.
"I'd like to think that I'll still be in the dugout against FC Bayern," Slomka told the postmatch news conference on Sunday. And, speaking to Sky Deutschland, he added: "We need to continue our work in all calmness and let the unrest, which will certainly be brought in from the outside, bounce off."
The under-fire coach was backed by the club on Sunday night.
"We will not panic and discuss everything," Karl Gernandt told Hamburger Abendblatt, and in quotes reported by kicker added: "We will not act, that's 120 percent certain."
But large parts of the German media believe that Slomka only remains in the dugout to guarantee a possible new coach at the club a better start than with the challenging next two games.
"Slomka finished," kicker headlined, and tabloid Bild reported that the club have already started negotiations with former Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel, who, however, would have to be freed from his contract at his former club.