3) Improved defence

The famous sporting adage states that while goals win games, it is defence that wins championships. Schultz will no doubt have had that at the back of his mind over the summer, given that his side conceded 46 times last season; no team in the top seven let in more.

That leaky backline is especially worrying given that city rivals Hamburg had the best rearguard in Bundesliga 2 after shipping just 35 times and only narrowly missing out on promotion via the play-offs.

All of which led to Pauli seeking reinforcements over the summer, and they were swift to bring in 21-year-old centre-back David Nemeth from Mainz, following a loan spell in Austria with Sturm Graz, where he scored twice in 32 outings.

"David is still young but gained regular match practice at a high level and did very well during his spell at Sturm Graz,” said Schultz. “We're confident he can play a key role for us straightaway. His two-footedness is another plus point, as he offers flexibility in central defence and also copes well with different systems."

Not only that, but the club also brought in Greece international right-back Manolis Saliakas, someone Schultz described as able to “make an impact at both ends of the field and be a valuable addition for us. He's attacks the ball with venom and brings a lot of dynamism going forward. He's also responsible for lots of set pieces at his current club, so he gives us more options in this area.”

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5 reasons St. Pauli can win promotion