For yet another year Sandhausen, the team with the smallest budget in Bundesliga 2, defied the odds and predictions of relegation and enjoyed a trouble-free mid-table existence all throughout. With the emblematic coach Schwartz departing in the summer only to be replaced by Kenan Kocak, many thought that Sandhausen’s overachieving will come to an end, but the new gaffer trusted what he inherited and, without touching the main squad a lot, or the formation, he enjoyed decent opening ten rounds.
Sandhausen might have won just three of their first ten matches, but they also lost only three of these fixtures and very quickly White and Blacks established in the middle of the table. Despite missing 6-7 players due to injuries for pretty much every round before the winter break, Sandhausen continued to play solid football and, with Wooten and Holer forming a formidable attacking partnership, the displays under Kocak were actually much more attractive to watch.
Thanks to three wins in four rounds at the start of the winter and seven points from their last three away matches of 2016, Sandhausen welcomed the new year sitting just outside the top six and with a big lead over those in trouble. The gaffer didn’t feel the need to sign any new players in January, not that he was given the money for any, and, thanks to back-to-back wins at the restart of the campaign, Sandhausen confirmed their mid-table finish as early as round 20.
This was when the motivation of the players dropped, though, plus in early March the best striker of the team Wooten picked up an injury while on international duty and missed the next two months. Sandhausen endured a ten-game winless run in early spring, but still they drew five of these matches and this allowed them to stay well above those in trouble.
In the end two important wins over the relegated Karlsruher and Wurzburger inside the final four rounds allowed Sandhausen to finish in the prestigious 10th spot.
