Football Season Guide

Hertha’s well-known problems on and off the pitch eventually resulted in relegation from the top division for the first time in ten years. The club from the Capital finished bottom of the Bundesliga with a change of manager coming too late in the season to make a difference. The ever-reliable Pal Dardai was unable to work his magic in keeping Hertha up last season but has been given the task of rebuilding the side for life in the second tier. This is now the third spell in charge of the first team for the Hungarian. The financial problems impacting the club have left little funds for new transfers. A small fee was paid for goalkeeper Gersbeck but he may only be a backup to Christensen. Despite the constraints, Hertha have managed to keep some of their key players from last season, midfielder Tousart has left for rivals Union but he and Ngankam are the only high-profile stars to leave so far. The likes of Lukebakio, Richter, and Kempf remain and should be a cut above at this level. With the addition of exciting winger Reese and Bosnian international Prevljak on free transfers as well as some promising youngsters in the squad, Hertha should be more than a match for most. Their vulnerabilities could be a problem with a not-so-happy fanbase and a struggling defence still in place from the last campaign.