For some traditional clubs 2015-16 was one to remember. For Eintracht Frankfurt it was the opposite as the Eagles endured a difficult season.
Final match day and a point was all that was needed to ensure Bundesliga survival. Playing Werder Bremen knowing that both clubs futures were perched on a knife’s edge.
Bremen got their end of match goal to ensure safety and Frankfurt went through a two match playoff with Nurnberg.
Eintracht was able to get through that but for this writer in particular it was a difficult time.
Prior to the penultimate match against Werder Bremen all the media could focus on was how a tradition rich and well followed club could be in such straights.
Suddenly it started to click with four matches to spare. Sitting in an automatic relegation spot three straight wins against Mainz, Darmstadt, and finally Borussia Dortmund. Most figured the Eagles for the drop while this was more than was expected for putting up a fight.
So with coach Niko Kovac and new chairman Fredi Bobic together they have gone about restructuring the Eintracht Frankfurt side.
Hard to do when there is ‘no money’ around to fund any moves.
So out goes fan favorite Stephan Aigner to 1860 Munich, Carlos Zambrano to Russia, Anis Ben Hatira to Darmstadt, Sonny Kittel to Ingolstadt, Luca Waldschmidt to Hamburg, Aleksander Ignjovski to SC Freiburg, and Stephan Reinartz to retirement. Needless to say a lot of players on decent wages off the books and bringing in some money in transfer fees.
With so many restrictions on the club, Kovac required players who are not only willing to work for the badge but willing to fight until the final second on the clock, a trait that is thought to be why the club survived relegation last season.
Four loan signings and 2.2 million euros spent in fees and there looks to be a squad in Frankfurt, but a threadbare one.
Should an injury crisis occur only the youth players will be available to be called on to fill the gaps.
If the first round of the DFB Pokal is anything to judge then SGE will have a difficult 2016-17.
But when you are a Frankfurt fan nothing is ever easy.
FORZA SGE
Prediction: possibly 14th place and not ever in true relegation trouble.
