Shoring up Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim have suffered criticism from every angle. From several sporting directors to popular German football magazine 11Freunde, the "plastic" club has struggled to acquire some new friends since their rampant ascent to the Bundesliga. Soccer snobbery scarcely knows any bounds at the best of times, but heaven help you if a software billionaire's cash fuels your rise into one of Europe's most old-fashioned top divisions.

Politics aside, however, Hoffenheim are now part of the Bundesliga's fabric. In six uninterrupted seasons, they've experienced the same highs-and-lows; the near-misses at the top and the narrow escapes at the bottom. A DVD of their six-year stint would be a bestseller.

Having spent most of their time floating like an inexperienced swimmer somewhere between not-bad-enough-to-be-relegated and not-good-enough-for-Europe, this season could be different. A sizeable chunk of cash has been invested in the playing staff; the club's patron and largest shareholder, S&P co-founder Dietmar Hopp, loosened the purse strings to free up roughly 20 million euros ($26.7 million).

Last season's ninth-place finish was a concrete reflection of their performances. In attack, Hoffenheim were delightful: speedy and dynamic with Kevin Volland and Brazilian Roberto Firmino forming a splendid partnership, hitting the third-highest goal-scoring tally in the division. At the other end, however, Hoffenheim conceded the third-highest amount of goals in the top-flight.

Laying the foundations

Hopp's investment looks to have gone to good use. The idea-vacuum left long ago by the abrupt departure of former coach Ralf Rangnick has since been plugged.

Since 2013, Alexander Rosen has served as sporting director, making several impressive moves to secure existing key players - Firmino, Volland and Niklas Süle - as he worked alongside Thomas Richter, the team manager.

This summer, the club has acted wisely in the transfer market to address the obvious deficiencies of the previous campaign. Oliver Baumann, the highly-rated goalie, penned a four-year contract after signing from Freiburg for six million euros.

The 24-year-old is a ten-fold upgrade on previous keepers, whilst Ermin Bicakcic strengthens central defense and Kim Jin-su offers an exciting full-back option from South Korea. Slightly further forward, Hoffenheim sought some steel in Eintracht Frankfurt captain Pirmin Schwegler: a tough, battle-hardened midfielder who brings some needed experience to the side.

Up top, Adam Szalai arrives from Schalke with a six million euro ($8 million) price tag and 22-year-old Swiss wide-man Stefan Zuber signed a matter of days ago from CSKA Moscow. All of this while staving of offers for Volland and Firmino, both of whom are tied to the club for a further three years. Maybe transfers will come before the end of their contracts - but Rosen and Hoffenheim hold the aces.

Strong to challenge the rest

If last season's combined 27 goals and 21 assists in the league are anything to go by, the addition of a prolific penalty-box striker of Szalai's quality - he netted 13 Bundesliga goals at Mainz the season before last - should be a welcomed piece to the jigsaw puzzle.

Beneath the aforementioned trident, Sven Schipplock, who scored five of Hoffenheim's nine goals at USC Paloma Hamburg in the German Cup, Tarik Elyounoussi, Zuber and Anthony Modeste provide depth other sides could only dream of.

Meanwhile, head coach Markus Gisdol can implement a stronger defensive foundation with Baumann between the sticks; the Bosnian Bicakcic could find a promising partner in 18-year-old Niklas Süle. For a club with such an abject defensive record last season, going the whole of pre-season - bar one match against Serie A side Genoa - without conceding a goal points towards the right path.

There are proven options aplenty in midfield in the shape of Schwegler, Sebastian Rudy, Eugen Polanski and Sejad Salihovic. That leaves Gisdol in a bright position to let his attacking, creative match-winners thrive.

It's a luxury that Hoffenheim haven't experienced in their tender years as a club; not even when the likes of Vedad Ibisevic and Demba Ba sat atop the Bundesliga table in the winter break of 2008/09 - before Wolfsburg charged to the title in the second half of the season.

By addressing their weaknesses from last season, Hoffenheim are in a position of strength. The chances are high, if things go to plan, that the club could be on the fringes of European spots in ten month's time.

Sitting back and watching Augsburg, Mainz and Freiburg shine on a shoe-string budget will have frustrated those at Hoffenheim HQ - but with a strengthened defense and intact front line, maybe the club has the right mix for its seventh Bundesliga campaign.