Result secondary against Bayern, says Zinnbauer

New Hamburg coach Josef Zinnbauer is not concerned with the result ahead of his first game in charge against Bayern Munich on Saturday.

Hamburg host the defending Bundesliga champions at the Imtech Arena after a week of turmoil that has seen Mirko Slomka sacked as coach.

Slomka was dismissed on Tuesday and replaced almost immediately by Zinnbauer, who had previously been coaching the club’s Under-23 side.

It is not clear how long Zinnbauer will be in the role, although he stated in his first press conference that he has a two-year-contract with the club.

Zinnbauer could not have a more difficult challenge for his first game at the helm than versus Pep Guardiola’s title favourites and, with Hamburg having taken just one point from three matches, a heavy defeat will be expected by many.

But the 44-year-old insists that he is more focused on Hamburg producing a strong performance, rather than the end result.

“The result is secondary,” Zinnbauer said. “There is currently no team that plays as dominant as Bayern.

“It’s important that we present ourselves well, that we play as a unit.”

Hamburg’s dismal start to the campaign comes after they avoided relegation to the second tier in a play-off with Greuther Furth last term.

It has been a startling downturn for a club that is considered to be one of the biggest in Germany and a team that regularly plays home games in front of 60,000 fans.

And Zinnbauer is keen to ensure that his players rise to the occasion of competing in front of a big crowd and rid themselves of the deficiencies they have displayed in recent times.

“This must motivate them to play in front of so many people,” he added. “Better before 60,000 than 10.

“From now on we must hide our weaknesses and show our strengths.

“The team should be fired up for football.”