Hannover made a fresh start with a new team of hungry youngsters, many of whom went on play for the national team – notably Gerald Asamoah, Sebastian Kehl and Fabian Ernst – or impress in the Bundesliga. 96 returned to tier II play in 1998, and to the Bundesliga in 2002 on the strength of a record-setting 75-point season. Since their promotion, the club have consolidated in the top flight, achieving a string of mid-table finishes under the command of several managers. Coach Dieter Hecking was brought in just weeks into the 2006–07 season after a disastrous start under Peter Neururer, in which the club lost the first three matches by a combined 11 goals. The 2007–08 season showed some early promise with impressive pre-season wins over Rangers and Real Madrid. However, they earned mixed results in their opening six Bundesliga matches. The team then put together a three match winning run, capped by a 2–0 win at champions VfB Stuttgart, to surge into the top six. Following the winter break, Hannover slipped after putting forth some disappointing performances which they turned around to be defeated only two times in their last 11 matches of the season. This secured a points record of 49 for "Die Roten" in the Bundesliga, thus ending them in eighth place.