IAt some point, there was already an hour around, there was some speed, but only for a short time. Florian Kohfeldt was asked how long it took to consider whether he wanted to continue. “Win relegation, drink a beer, bus, plane, sleep, a conversation with Frank (Baumann, Managing Director Sport, d. R.), then I was through, ”replied the Werder Bremen coach, shortly afterwards to correct himself at least to the extent that the relegation prevailed and did not win.
Be that as it may, there were statements on Friday afternoon at which Werder Bremen had arranged a press conference that was protracted. In the end, it was 114 minutes in which the Bundesliga club officials declared themselves four days after the relegation against 1. FC Heidenheim, which President Hubertus Hess-Grunewald also described as a “sporting near-death experience”.
Everyone who was sitting on the podium in the media room of the Bremen stadium agreed that a season like the one just closed should not happen again. Only thanks to the successful relegation against Heidenheim – 0: 0 and 2: 2 ended – Werder was able to avert the first Bundesliga relegation after 40 years.
In terms of personnel, everything stays the same
There was talk of self-criticism in Bremen on Friday, very often. From a critical reappraisal at all levels, whether in management, on the supervisory board or in the executive committee. There was a lot of talk to each other, said Managing Director Klaus Filbry, who officially announced at the beginning what many media had reported on Thursday evening: Kohfeldt remains a coach – and Frank Baumann also Managing Director Sport. “The same personnel constellation will continue in the future,” said Filbry.
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They rely on the tried and tested, at least in terms of personnel. They made this clear on Friday at Werder Bremen, although no one wanted to rule out the fact that there may still be changes in one or the other place in the coming weeks. In the player squad in any case, that was made clear by both the coach and the managing director of sports, but possibly also in the team around the team and in the coaching staff, to which Tim Borowski, Ilia Gruev and Thomas Horsch currently belong. In the first row, however, everything stays the same.
Sport manager in conversation
Kohfeldt, Baumann, Bode, Filbry and Hess-Grundwald – they have given the club a face so far and will continue to do so in the future. However, in the future there may also be a kind of team manager in Bremen, like Sebastian Kehl at BVB. Who and whether the sporty duo Kohfeldt / Baumann will be provided with someone should still be advised.
To the address of all those who think that there are only extremes, keep it up or – I call it that – roll heads, we won’t make them happy. We don’t think so, ”said supervisory board chief Bode: “We know that we have to change and be ready to learn from our mistakes.” Werder must remain true to himself, however willing to improve and change.
Frank Baumann agreed with him. The man, who had recently received a lot of criticism, had the greatest amount of speech at the beginning. Again and again he looked at his notes, which he had made for the appointment after a “historically bad season”. Anyone who knew him knew, according to Baumann, that he would not duck away and would have no problems admitting mistakes publicly. Open words, which were followed by attempts to explain the poor performance of the team. Comprehensible from the perspective of a responsible person, but it was little self-critical.
Werder wanted to go to Europe
Baumann said that a lot of data had been compared and compared, including data from competitors, which gave an overall picture of a season with three thirds. A preparation that resulted in a catastrophic mid-third, followed by a phase after the Corona break in which they were competitive in all relevant areas. Baumann admitted that some areas were too ambitious after the penultimate season, too ambitious. This led to internal conflicts.
In retrospect, the former international conceded, one should have spoken earlier about a changed objective in order to sharpen the senses. Werder started before the season with the goal of making the leap into European business.
Baumann also referred to the many injured players, sometimes up to twelve at a time, that had to be complained about – and he referred to a report by the professional association from 2019, which says that there is an average of 740 days lost per season in a team – Werder had 905 in the first half of the season, in the entire 2000 season.
“The mistake was mine,” says Kohfeldt
As for the misery, coach Kohfeldt self-critically admitted mistakes. This would result from incorrect training control. “That must not happen to me again,” said Kohfeldt. “I was driven by the ambition to raise the team to a different athletic level. The team was not ready for this. The mistake was mine. “
Kohfeldt, who was last associated with Hoffenheim in 1899, said he hadn’t spoken to any other club. He very much appreciated his special standing on the Weser. “I have to thank you very much to all the people who sit here, who have backed me internally and externally and who have always been convinced of me,” said the 37-year-old coach, looking left and right, where the people responsible for the Clubs sat: “I couldn’t have forgiven myself for relegation.”
It continues with him and in the first division. How the team will look is still open. Due to the consequences of the Corona crisis, Werder relies on income from player sales. In addition to Milot Rashica, who is about to move to RB Leipzig, Davy Klaassen is also a candidate for change. In any case, no one is for sale, the Werder bosses made clear.
Rely on young and viable players
“Corona will cost us a total of around 30 million euros for the past and the new season,” said Managing Director Filbry. Werder will not be able to afford big leaps in the transfer market. Therefore, the club will again focus more on young and viable players in the future. “It will be a new way that contains the content of the old one. There will be more development again, ”announced trainer Kohfeldt.
He is now looking forward to switching off and recovering. He wanted to do the work that was due after a two-week vacation. “Although I personally hope that I won’t look as shit as I do after Heidenheim,” he said on Friday – and smiled.
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