Surprise From Stuttgart

Armin Veh was only hired at Stuttgart last February as an "interim solution" for a team that had thoroughly disappointed expectations. Nine months later, he has the Swabians two points behind Werder Bremen at the top of the Bundesliga table. So what are the reasons for Stuttgart's remarkable recovery?

Thomas Haid, a sports editor who covers the team for the local Stuttgarter Zeitung, offered his views. "The team was completely revamped with the addition of six new players in the off-season," Haid told DW-WORLD.DE. "And they've also succeeded in integrating young players from the amateur ranks into the squad."

Gone are petulant divas like striker Daniel Ljuboja -- this season's team features hard-nosed Mexican nationals, Ricardo Osorio and Pavel Pardo, and youngsters like Sami Khediri and Serdar Tasci.

They're currently riding a four-game winning streak, and that has fans dreaming of Stuttgart's first league title since 1992. And much of Stuttgart's success is down to a coach who was initially only an emergency replacement.

Work that body

When Armin Veh assumed the reins from coaching legend Giovanni Trappatoni last February, Stuttgart was mired in mediocrity -- languishing in eighth place with an astonishing 12 draws in 21 games. Few observers thought Veh would last long in his new job.

"There wasn't much he could do but limit the damage," Haid said. "He took over a team in catastrophic physical condition."

Stuttgart finished ninth, but Veh, who is known as a disciplinarian, was given the chance this year to mould the team in his own image. The squad is back in shape and has remembered how to win games.

Tuesday's victory over Hamburg thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes, as well as Stuttgart's stunning comeback from two goals down earlier this season in Bremen, speak volumes about the team's condition.

Stuttgart have the second-best road record in the Bundesliga and have scored more goals than any of their rivals except Bremen. That's quite a reversal for a team that last season couldn't even manage home victories against relegation candidates.

Go-Go Gomez

It's an old soccer cliché that in order to win games, you have to score more goals than your opponents, and the man doing that for Stuttgart has been Mario Gomez. With seven goals and four assists thus far, the 21-striker is having the year of his young career.

Veh thinks Gomez has earned a shot at playing for Germany's national team. "I don't see many German strikers with his quality," Veh said recently. "If I were the national coach, I'd try him out."

Stuttgart still have some problems to address, if they are to stay on top. They need to become more consistent at home, and their defense has conceded 16 goals -- fifth worst in the league.

But if Veh and his charges can address those issues, a spot in the Champions League is hardly beyond reach. "It's a young team that can only improve," said Haid. "I don't see any reason why they shouldn't end up under the top three."