In Bielefeld, they've completed stadium renovations for what club officials hope is a long first-division future. Coach Michael Frontzeck has promised, "We won't go down this time round, either."

But it's difficult to find many reasons for such optimism.

Bielefeld had the second-worst defense in the league last season so stopping the leakage at the back has to be their top priority. But new defender Michael Lamey would have been relegated with Duisburg last season if he didn't join up at Bielefeld this season, and it's hard to see him alone making that big a difference for Bielefeld.

Up front the biggest new arrival is 21-year-old striker Berat Sadik of Finland. But is a young prospect really the solution for a squad that only managed to avoid the drop on the final day of the previous season?

Bielefeld commercial manager Detlev Dammeier has said: "Berat is good in the air and will complement the other strikers. We'll give him enough time to establish himself in the Bundesliga."

But the smart money says Sadik will be playing in division two next season.

Major arrivals: Michael Lamey, Berat Sadik, Nico Herzig

Major departures: Mathias Hain, David Kobylik, Petr Gabriel, Joerg Boehme, Ioannis Masmanidis