Last week in this space, I speculated that the club’s directors hadn’t talked to Ex-Spurs boss Martin Jol about the post in a while. Turns out I am pretty prescient. Jol has been contacted about the job and he is the club’s second choice after Gerrard Houllier. Houllier, whose contract as Technical Director of the French Football Federation expired 30 April,  continues to be the leading candidate for the post and contract negotiations are reportedly on-going. Here’s the rub:  Should contract talks with Houllier fall through, HSV are screwed. Why? Because Martin Jol is negotiating with Twente (Enschede) of the Eredivisie about their open position and is reportedly quite close to a deal. Twente, you know, the job that Fred Rutten just left. . . B-T-W, Rutten recently revealed he was set to take the HSV job, but an ongoing disagreement between Dietmar Beiersdorfer (sporting director–wanted Rutten) and Bernd Hoffman (managing director–wanted would-be-Dortmund/current-Mainz trainer Jurgen Klopp) and the subsequent confusion and delay prompted him to accept the Scalke job. 

I find it pretty remarkable that of the 3 clubs in the Bundesliga set to hire new trainers (Bayern, Schalke, Hamburg), 2 had the deal done-and-dusted within a matter of days, and in Schalke’s case, in 5 days. So now we sit and wait to see if Houllier can convince his wife that Paris isn’t all that grand and that life really is better in Hamburg.  Let me know how that works out. . . Why worry, right? This guy and this guy are available . . .

Oh, and HSV travel to Rostock to take on Hansa. Hamburg downed Hansa 2:0 in November.  Vincent Kompany is out with a thigh injury. Paolo Guerrero is nursing a calf-injury but looks to play. David Jarolim returns from suspension and will be in the midfield. This will allow Guy Dimmel to return to his right back position and let Jerome Boateng replace the ever-worthless Timothee Atouba. I can’t WAIT until they get rid of his sorry ass.

I am not going to give a prediction here, as lately when I do so, HSV do the exact opposite. Let’s say this in closing:  If we can’t go out and pound a helpless patsy like Hansa, we don’t deserve to be in European competition. Period.

Most of the team are available tomorrow, with the notable exceptions of David Jarolim (suspended) and Juan Pablo Sorin (injured, AGAIN), but that doesn’t mean that things are on the upswing. This is Team Turmoil. Huub’s on his way out and doesn’t care–he’s managing a CL side next season anyway. VDV is right behind and chances are he’ll be playing in the CL too. So what’s left to play for? Nuthin’. Yeah, we’ll be in European competition next autumn. But still. . .

Schalke come into the match having had a busy week. After sacking Mirko Slomka, who will not be HSV’s new manager (see below), Schalke went out and destroyed B’liga-dregs Cottbus 5-0 at home. Kevin Kuranyi had a nice Frank Lampard-esque afternoon with 4 gates.  And now we know why Fred Rutten kept putting off HSV’s overtures.

My S.W.A.G. prediction: HSV come out and take the full three and draw even with Schalke in the table. 1-0 to the Rotthosen. Skol!

Speaking of clubs with openings for a manager, it looks more and more like Gerrard Houllier will be HSV’s next manager.  His contract with the FFF (French Football Federation) is up in May (as The Church Lady might say, “How convenient. . .”), and now his buddy Alain Cayzac has resigned as president of PSG (They’re bound to be relegated? You don’t say.) so he can politely decline Mssr. Cayzac’s earlier job offer. Negotiations are proceeding quietly and Houllier has some small professional and personal matters to attend to. HSV are reported going to throw something like a €2.5 Million contract his way, so maybe he can keep dual residences in Hamburg and Paris. Let’s hope so. I am tired of this crap.

And that wraps the short but sweet preview for HSV and Schalke. The KLM departure lounge at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is nice and quiet and pretty deserted this evening. My flight to Amsterdam doesn’t leave for an hour or so and the champagne here is exquisite, and, of course, free. My employer is gracious enough to book us in business class when we travel overseas, and sadly, KLM doesn’t have business class on 747’s–only first class. Sigh. Oh, and Amsterdam is always a crummy place to have to visit, especially in the spring. If you’re near the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, look me up. I usually hang at the Five Bells to watch football and I am often the only eff’ing American in the place. We do get a fair number of Englishmen, though. Skip the London Bridge–it’s too smokey.