Football Season Guide

The early season optimism for Hertha quickly faded last time out as another frustrating campaign ensued. Boss Fiel was unable to get the best out of a talented squad, and was shown the door in February after a run of 4 defeats. Replacement Leitl eventually turned things around and the club from the capital finished safely in 11th position. There is always an air of uncertainty around Hertha due to the problems off the field as well as on in recent years, but under the guidance of Leitl you feel that things are finally moving forward again. It is of course early days but you would expect there to be significant progress this coming season. In terms of the playing squad, some shrewd signings have been made. Experienced trio Jensen, Seguin, and Kolbe have all joined which should make them more stable in midfield and defence. Exciting attacking midfielder Krattenmacher will be one to watch, and has already begun to make his mark in pre-season. The loss of young talents Maza and Scherchant, and right-back Kenny is of course disappointing, but keeping hold of impressive forward Reese is a big plus. More firepower was needed in attack and the loan signing of Kownacki is likely to be the answer. The Polish striker has proven himself a deadly finisher in the division with Dusseldorf previously. Hertha are expected to be more organised this season under Leitl and should be a big threat going forward. Home form is something they will have to improve dramatically on, with the big pitch and stadium proving to be a mental stumbling block in recent years.