Football Season Guide

It was a difficult campaign for Holstein Kiel last season but they recovered from a poor start to eventually gain a top-half finish. The Storks initially struggled after the resignation of Ole Werner but results improved under Marcel Rapp once he had settled. Kiel’s budget is comparatively low compared to other clubs in the division so new players have come in the form of free transfers and loans. Fiete Arp has made his move permanent from Bayern’s second team and has the potential to be a star in the team. Marvin Schulz and Timo Becker both bring Bundesliga experience with them and should provide quality to the midfield and defensive areas, captain Hauke Wahl is also available again after a long illness absence and will feel like a new signing. There haven’t been many departures other than right-back Phil Neumann, second-choice goalkeeper Ionis Gelios and squad players Ahmet Arslan and Joshua Mees. Others may leave before the window shuts but the majority of the squad remains and that is a positive for the manager to build on. You will expect Kiel to give anyone a game on their day but putting the ball in the net could be an issue. Pichler, Wreidt, and Arp are all decent front men but are unlikely to hit the net in abundance.