The New York Times today reported on Hamburger Sport Verein (HSV), the only team to have played in the Bundesliga continuously since its founding in 1963, and its struggles to remain in the first division. Coach P wrote about HSV's close calls with relegation back in May.
The Hamburg club maintains a clock showing how many years (53), days, hours, minutes and seconds it has played in the top level. But if the team does not pick it up in the remaining 15 games, the clock will stop ticking.
The bottom two teams are automatically relegated to the second division. The 16th or third from last team, which is where HSV sits now, plays a two game series with the third place team in the second division for promotion to the first division. HSV has played in that series before.
This year, with 15 matches remaining, Hamburg is in 16th place, just one point ahead of FC Ingolstadt 04. (Werder Bremen as the same number of points - 16 - but is two better in goal differential. If the season ended today HSV would be in a familiar position of playing a two game fight for life.
There are 15 games left to play. Here's hoping HSV can spring to life and move up as few notches to spare its fans the tension and keep the clock ticking.
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