It’s the question people in Dresden ask themselves before every season: Quo vadis, Dynamo? And just like every year, the initial response is a shrug. That said, ahead of the Saxons’ first game on Sunday (1:30 p.m./Sky) against 1. FC Nürnberg, quite a few experts have high hopes for coach Thomas Stamm’s team. To be more precise: the big break—namely, promotion to the Bundesliga. Because, as always, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga is a real wild card.
It’s no coincidence that TV analysts Felix Kroos and Simon Terodde count Dresden among the dark horses. Following an extremely successful second half of last season and an eleventh-place finish, Dynamo has largely kept its roster intact. Above all, the fact that the players who were on loan last season—Jonas Sterner, Robert Wagner, Thomas Keller, and Ben Bobzien—have now been signed permanently is seen in the industry as a statement. On top of that, the team has added Nicolai Rapp, a very experienced second-division defensive midfielder from Karlsruher SC. In total, sporting director Sören Gonther has brought in twelve professionals who will certainly add quality to the roster.
