He was born in Bremen and has played for the club since the U9s, which he is now leaving: Nick Woltemade talks about his move, appreciation and Werder talents.
From the Weser to the Neckar: Nick Woltemade. IMAGO/Nico Herbertz
“Honestly,” Nick Woltemade had to admit in an interview with kicker, he would not have expected that he would be in the starting line-up for SV Werder Bremen in five of the last six Bundesliga games. Especially because the 22-year-old had previously made it public that he would be leaving the club after the season; that he would not accept the offer to extend his expiring contract. Which certainly caused some dissatisfaction within the club – but had no sporting impact whatsoever.
“I give Ole Werner a lot of credit,” says Woltemade, “for continuing to be very fair with me. And then I confirmed it. The missions weren’t for free.” Nevertheless, the native of Bremen also reports on a difficult situation surrounding his departure, which will take him to VfB Stuttgart: “Talking about my move was uncomfortable for me too – I’m still a young guy. But as After a day or two the hype and the unrest were gone, everything was completely normal again.”
Woltemade: “I want to realize that you’re growing up”
Would they have been able to convince him to stay at Werder if Woltemade had been given the generous playing time beforehand? “It wasn’t a decision that I suddenly made. It’s been solidified over a long period of time,” explains the U-21 national player: “Werder was always my number one contact – but because I’m free, It’s logical that I spoke to other clubs and then I had the right feeling.”
Last year’s loan to Elversberg also played a role in his decision, as it significantly advanced Woltemade’s development, and not just as a player. “It was also the case that I just wanted to get out of Bremen and my familiar surroundings. I’ve lived here for 20 years, I know everything, the whole city, every district. I wanted to see something new again,” said the Werder professional: “I can’t even drive to my parents in ten minutes now, but I know: I’m on my own. I want to realize that you’re getting older, that you’re growing up.”
Woltemade’s desire for “more conviction”
As to whether he still lacked some form of personal recognition from Werder to extend his contract, Woltemade says: “Those in charge made an effort to look after me, the appreciation was absolutely there. But my impression is not necessarily just based on the current season arose, but also from the time before that. One might have wished for more support and conviction from time to time.”
Given the difficult sporting situation and the goals that Werder had to achieve in recent years, as well as the competitive situation in attack, Woltemade “never demanded that I have to play every game back then,” he emphasizes: “I already knew the situation myself But this feeling that you are important to the club in terms of sport and that there is a long-term plan for me was not always there, at least before this season, in my opinion.”
Werder and “the thin line” when it comes to talent
However, Woltemade does not see any parallels to the departure of Eren Dinkci, who was loaned out to Heidenheim, another former Bremen young striker whose path leads to Freiburg: “Eren was here last year, I am here this year – Niclas Füllkrug, for example, is no longer there, that “It wasn’t that easy for Eren. And the second year after the promotion is also different. We are very good friends, but at least we didn’t discuss our decisions that much beforehand.”
However, it is “not so easy for Werder to rely on a lot of talent when you know at the same time: We have to get promoted or we have to stay in the league. It’s a fine line,” says the club’s own team. It’s currently the first Bremen season in a long time that’s been a little quieter in terms of sport, said Woltemade: “And our team isn’t that old now – you can see from my example that you still get your chance. It always ends up happening also a question of conviction and courage.”
In the kicker interview in the Thursday edition (available digitally on Wednesday evening as eMagazine), Nick Woltemade also talks about old burdens and new desires, text messages with Hermann Gerland and an unwanted nickname. And he explains why, despite being 1.98 meters tall, he is not a typical tall football player.
2024-05-15 17:03:37
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