Exactly a year ago Hannover were sitting in 17th place in the standings and were staring relegation directly in the face. It had been a brutal year for the Reds. Between the tragic death of club captain and icon Robert Enke and the drawn out fight for survival, the season took a heavy toll on players and supporters alike. Fast-forward a year and the club is on the brink of qualifying for the Champions League. With 4 matches remaining, Hannover have long surpassed their greatest ever points total in the league and have done so in impressive fashion.

How exactly did this remarkable turnaround happen? Behind Hannover’s historic season lays an astute tactical plan that restructured this team and optimized the performances of many of their individual players. Mirko Slomka, former Schalke coach and Hannover player himself, has redefined and reorganized the team tactically and made them one of the most efficient teams in Germany. This piece will examine Slomka’s dynamic counter attacking team and explore how they have employed this tactic to overcome all odds.