Frank Baumann has spent over half of his life on the Osterdeich. After joining the Green-Whites from 1. FC Nürnberg in 1999, Baumann went on to win the Double in 2004 as part of a storied ten-year stint with the club as a player, and later took over the position of managing director at the club. Now, after 25 years, Baumann’s time with Werder has come to an end. In his final interview with WERDER.DE, the 48-year-old speaks candidly about his quarter of a century at SVW.
WERDER.DE: Frank, your departure is drawing ever closer and soon your day-to-day focus will turn from Werder Bremen to the Baumann family. Do you feel emotionally ready to leave?
Frank Baumann: I think so. It’s not my first departure. I know what it’s like to suddenly be doing nothing all day and to not have any professional commitments. But the household chores will be put on the back burner for a while, so I shouldn’t be too bored (laughs). There are plenty of other nice things for me to do which have been neglected in the last few years, and I’m already looking forward to that.
WERDER.DE: But back then, when you took your sabbatical, it was fairly clear that you’d be returning in some capacity. Now it feels more like a retirement. Are you dealing with it any differently?
Frank Baumann: I don’t know yet whether I’ll be retiring permanently or not. At the moment, I’m planning to be out for at least a couple of years. But I just can’t rule anything out. In any case, I’m going to spend the next few weeks and months relaxing, see what each day brings, and then – of course – use the time to further my education. After that, I’ll see if any exciting opportunities come up. Whether that’s full-time or part-time, in football or elsewhere – I’m leaving everything on the table for now.
WERDER.DE: You announced your decision to leave very early on. In your opinion, is now the right time for you to leave?
Frank Baumann has opted against extending his current contract with SV Werder Bremen and will leave his post as sporting director upon its expiration in summer 2024.
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) November 1, 2023
For all the details, click here ▶️ https://t.co/hK2fpxGSWM#werderpic.twitter.com/ozsQim0Qw7
Frank Baumann: At the time, I came to the conclusion that it was best for myself and the club not to rush into leaving the job, but also that after such a long time it might clear the way for new ideas, a new impetus and a fresh approach to things. It’s really helped me to go full throttle and put everything into the job since then. My family have had to go without a lot of things, but it’s been nice to know that there will be a time soon when we can spend a weekend together. Because of that, I’m convinced it was the right decision.
WERDER.DE: When you made your decision, things weren’t going too well on the pitch and Ole Werner was also being criticised. Were there any moments when you thought it might be best to wait a bit longer?
Frank Baumann: Yes, of course I questioned whether it was the right time. My aim was to give Werder the best possible handover, and make sure we’re well-off enough both on and off the pitch. We knew that the season might get off to a rocky start, but I had absolute confidence in the coaching staff. At the time, no-one would have predicted a top-half finish for us, which makes it even better that we were able to achieve the things we set out to.
It’s great what I've achieved as just a young boy from TSV Bühl, who didn’t necessarily have a huge amount of talent.Frank Baumann
WERDER.DE: You’ve been here for 25 years now – over half of your life. How proud are you when you look back on the Frank Baumann era at Werder?
Frank Baumann: Looking back on my time here, I’m obviously very pleased and quite proud. It’s great what I've achieved as just a young boy from TSV Bühl, who didn’t necessarily have a huge amount of talent. I definitely never could have imagined that’s how things would go this time 30 years ago. To call my time here a ‘life’s work’ would be a bit far. Over the past 125 years, there have been several other people at Werder with far greater responsibility who have played a defining role in the club. That’s why I’m happy that I can look back on the positive memories here. Werder was a perfect fit for both myself and my family in Bremen from day one.
WERDER.DE: Is there anything in particular from your time at Werder that you’ll miss the most?
Frank Baumann: There are a lot of moments and interactions with people that I’ll miss. It’s a great privilege for me to be able to drive along the Osterdeich and down the ramp with a view of the stadium every single day, and to get to work in the ground. That never stops feeling special.
WERDER.DE: What would you say are your top three moments from the 25 years you spent at SVW?
Frank Baumann: That’s a tough one. If I've got to choose three, the match in Munich on 8th May 2004 would have to be up there. That was definitely one of the highlights of my playing career. Securing our promotion back into the second division would be another, as it certainly wasn’t a given. It’s difficult to choose a third. The farewell celebrations at the end of the season with all the staff at the stadium were really nice. Moments like that just epitomise Werder and are truly unforgettable.
????️ Werner on Frank Baumann:
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) November 3, 2023
"Obviously, I was also told and at the end of the day, it's his decision and these things happen in football. I'm sure that a good successor will be found for him." #werder#wobsvwpic.twitter.com/hqPeFOu3jb
WERDER.DE: You mentioned promotion, now let’s get onto relegation. You could say that it was a turning point not only for Werder Bremen, but also for you personally. How difficult did you find that period of time?
Frank Baumann: The pressure of relegation is even worse than battling for a spot in the national team or for the league title. You feel a sense of responsibility for it, as a relegation battle is taxing for everyone involved – not only for the players, but also for the fans. We also experienced some financial struggles during the pandemic, which made things even more difficult. Relegation is something that can you can fix, a potential bankruptcy is not, so the two mixed together was certainly challenging. It wasn’t easy, but it helps when you’ve got family by your side. The fact that we’re so united at Werder naturally also made a huge difference, because if things were different, we may not have been able to have come out the other side of it.
WERDER.DE: Is there anything you’d like to share with the fans, players or colleagues who have supported you along the way?
Frank Baumann: A huge thanks to the fans for their support, but also to the fantastic team I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. I still have colleagues who were here 25 years ago. That shows what a special club Werder is – one that is supported by special people. A big thank you to everyone for your support, especially through the tough times. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
WERDER.DE: On behalf of everyone at the club, we would also like to thank you for your 25 years with us and wish you all the best for the future.
