A disappointing first season in charge of Mainz for Sandro Schwarz who saw his side just about secure their Bundesliga status after overseeing an inconsistent campaign.
Tipped to challenge for a spot in the top half, Mainz struggled to stay clear of the relegation zone for much of the season, and while they did show glimpses of quality, lack of consistency meant Mainz went into most of their games as underdogs.
Their form on the road was one of the worst in the Bundesliga with Mainz managing to win just twice over the season, and both the victories came in the second half of the campaign.
Mainz fared little better at Opel Arena, and just when it looked that they would be heading into the final weeks facing a desperate struggle for survival, a late surge in form that saw them win three of their final five games, ensured they will be playing in the Bundesliga next season.
Schwarz's attempts to rebuild the squad during the summer did not work out, with Abdou Diallo the only player who was able to feature in the line-up with some regularity, while another of their big signings, Rene Adler, struggled with injuries throughout the campaign.
Yoshinori Muto did end the campaign as the top scorer with eight goals, but injuries and lack of form meant the striker was limited to just 20 starts.
The season did throw up a couple of new names with Suat Serdar enjoying a solid campaign in the midfield while Robin Quaison increasingly was preferred over Muto in the final weeks of the campaign.
Mainz do need a major rebuilding job over the summer if they are to enjoy a far more comfortable campaign next season.
