Adler ignoring pressure on Hamburg

The loss came hot on the heels of first-round DFB-Pokal elimination and already the pressure is beginning to rise in northern Germany.

However, Adler feels the best way to cope is to ignore it.

"It is only the first game of the league season and it is too soon to start talking about a relegation battle already," he said.

"There is only one thing to do and that is to stop watching television and reading the newspapers."

What Adler would probably see in those media outlets is reports of how the only club to have been in the top flight of German football since its inception 50 years ago could end that record in the league's anniversary season.

"We have got to be able to deal with the pressure," said coach Thorsten Fink to LIGA Total television.

"Our commitment to the game was fine, but more has got to come technically.

"My team became insecure the longer the game went on."

Fink initially led Hamburg away from the relegation zone following his arrival from Basel last October, but a slump towards the end of the season saw it end the campaign still embroiled in a relegation battle.

The alarm bells started to ring after defeat to Karlsruhe last weekend and they are now sounding even louder after just one game of the Bundesliga season.

A new player should be on his way though, as Wolfsburg manager confirmed a deal for Petr Jiracek is imminent.

"The issue will be cleared up this weekend," he said. "Hamburg want him and we are in a situation where we can do without him.

"And now the player wants to go to Hamburg too."