Julian Green: Bayern Munich Loanee Hits Hamburg Brick Wall

Bayern Munich's United States centre-forward/left/right-winger Julian Green, 19, is an afterthought on loan at Hamburg.

Jumping from Bayern Munich II in the Regionalliga Bayern, the German fourth division, to Hamburg in the Bundesliga, Germany's top flight, is a precipitous learning curve for Green.

Psychological Hurdles

When Michael Bradley trapped the ball, Green instinctively made a curled run in behind the Belgian defence.

As Bradley clipped the ball towards Green, he conjured up a big-moment volley, scoring in the 2014 FIFA World Cup round of 16.

Seven months later, Green is mainly getting the DNP-CD (did not play-coach's decision) treatment at Hamburg, logging 112 minutes in the Bundesliga since last September.

It must be an onerous mental adjustment to go from an overnight sensation to a number on a squad list.

"After my goal at the World Cup, the hype was pretty intense, and now I'm here [at Hamburg], not playing all that often," Green said, per Andy James at Bundesliga.com. "I'm not letting it affect me. I'm just getting on with it."

Instead of imploring Bayern Munich to terminate the loan during the January transfer window, Green is showing resilience in a character-testing period, which has been compounded by fitness problems.

"I trained with the team but I wasn't 100 percent because the pain [in my ribs] was still there," Green said, per Jeff Carlisle at ESPN FC. "I didn't have my rhythm because one day it was better and then another day it was much worse. It was a hard time."

Speaking of hard time, Green's first Hamburg manager, Mirko Slomka, was barely afloat during his reign, per Raphael Honigstein at The Guardian: 

"

Hamburg look trapped in a time-loop padded with nothing but misery and existentialist dread.

Things are so bad that the club legend Uwe Seeler has thus far refused to convey his customary, monthly 'I worry about my HSV' line. For fear of underplaying the gravity of the situation, presumably.

...

Hamburg brought in almost enough new players for an entirely new starting XI this season.

Seven of them started in the 2-0 defeat at Hannover 96, the Hamburg manager Mirko Slomka's former club, on Sunday.

'This team needs more time, we know that,' he said, not unreasonably.

"

You know who needed more time? 

Green, who attempted eight passes and lost possession five times in his first Bundesliga start for Hamburg against Hannover 96.

Slomka refused to give Green an extra 15-20 minutes in the second half to rectify an anonymous first 45 minutes—he was substituted off at half-time for Artjoms Rudnevs.

Green wasn't the only who felt the embarrassment of being prematurely ousted.

In the aftermath of the loss to Hannover, Slomka was dismissed and replaced by rookie manager Joe Zinnbauer, who had coached the Hamburg II to eight consecutive victories.

Asked about a statistically poor debut and Slomka's firing, Green was articulate and composed in his response.

"It was my very first Bundesliga match. And we were sleeping in the first half as a team. I don't get busy with those stats. I know what I can do. And I will show it here," Green said, per Hanna Schmalenbach at the Munchener Merkur (h/t Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC).

"[Slomka] will not be the last sacking in my career ... All hopes for this season are totally independent from the coach. I want to win minutes, score goals, and show that I can hold my ground at the highest level."

Sure, the answer was not as inspirational as Tim Tebow's "The Promise" speech, but it gives you an insight into Green's drive and will to succeed.

Granted, Tebow was a man of his words leading the Florida Gators to national championship triumph, while Green is getting used to the word—patience—at Hamburg. 

Waiting was what Tebow did at the New York Jets.

Zinnbauer is to Green what Rex Ryan was to Tebow.

Incompatible

Here are the three principles of Zinnbauer management: defend, defend and defend.

Zinnbauer masterminded Hamburg's 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich, an achievement Thorsten Fink probably wishes he could have accomplished on March 30, 2013.

Tied with Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke for the fourth-best defence in the Bundesliga, Hamburg have prided themselves on their defensive stoutness (22 goals conceded from 20 games).

Bundesliga 2014-15	Tackles Per 90 Mins.	Interceptions Per 90 Mins.
Julian Green	3.2	2.4
Lewis Holtby	3	1.7
Marcell Jansen	2.4	2
Nicolai Muller	2.2	1.2
Mohamed Gouaida	2.2	1.5
Ivo Ilicevic	2	2
Zoltan Stieber	1.4	2.2
Ronny Marcos	0.5	2.2

Of all the wingers Zinnbauer has at his disposal, Green averages the most tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

Whenever Green has been afforded a chance, he works tirelessly off the ball. 

He is capable of turning defence into attack by intercepting a pass and leading a counter-attack.

Now combine his defensive work rate with his attacking prowess: loaded with flair, dynamite in possession and possesses the ability to create his own shot.

If allocated more playing time, Green can increase Hamburg's pedestrian 0.70 goals per game.

But Green is not even making Zinnbauer's bench consistently.

Green's Role

Is Green an inverted left-winger or a right-winger? 

Neither—he wants to be a No. 9.

"I am a striker, but don't mind playing on the left, right or central," Green said, per HSV.de. "I might be a little stronger on the left though."

Here is Zinnbauer's centre-forward depth-chart.

1. Ivica Olic.
2. Pierre-Michel Lasogga.
3. Artjoms Rudnevs.

Allan Jiang

Green claims he is better on the left-wing, which enables him to cut in with pace and shoot with power.

Yet, in his last game, an impact substitute appearance in Hamburg's 3-1 defeat to Augsburg last November, he was instructed to play on the right side by Zinnbauer.

It seems Green will only be a starter at Hamburg if he is the last possible option available, like Tebow at the Denver Broncos.

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.