Football Season Guide

Hannover were one of two sides to be relegated from the Bundesliga last term after a disastrous campaign that ended in them finishing dead last. From the early stages of last season it was quite apparent that something was badly wrong in the Hannover camp and three managers later they find themselves in the second division. The third of those managers to lead them on their ill fated campaign was given the job on a permanent basis at the end of the season. Daniel Stendel saw a good reaction from his side in the few games he had to save their Bundesliga status, and though he failed to keep them up his principles of promoting youth team players and playing attacking football appealed to the Hannover faithful. The side he will lead into the 2016/17 campaign is much different from that of last year. Gone are captain and vice captain Christian Schulz and Ron-Robert Zieler. Gone are the big name winter signings such as Hugo Almeida and Alexander Milosevic. In their places mainly domestic players have been signed up with a squad that is much smaller than the side that Stendel had under his control at the end of last term. Although Hannover go into the season as one of the favourites for promotion it will not be easy at all for them. The likes of Zieler and playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake were the absolute core of the team and without them they are much weaker. A significant proportion of the Bundesliga squad have stayed at the club but they will have to come together and work hard for each in a way that was not evident last season at all. The additions of proven goalscorer Niclas Füllkrug and winger Martin Harnik could prove very shrewd. Both arrive from sides who are rivals of Hannover’s for promotion and they will have a strong personal desire to beat them. All the ingredients are here for a promotion push: they have youth and experience, strength at the back and goalscorers in attack. But the adjustment period for any side coming down from the top league can be long and can cost a side their chance to go up. Hard work and a more humble attitude are what Hannover need now they are out of the big time and Stendel might just be the man to deliver that.