A particularly special home match awaits for SV Werder’s head coach Ole Werner, when the 36-year-old will hope to steer the Green-Whites to success against Holstein Kiel on Saturday, 09/11/24, with kick-off at 15:30 CET. The coach was involved with the upcoming opposition for nearly 15 years in various roles, including as a player and head coach. The coach explained the remaining connection he has with his former employers and what kind of opponent he is expecting to turn up.
It will be an historic occasion on Saturday, since SV Werder are set welcome KSV Holstein Kiel to the Weserstadion for the first time in the Bundesliga. One of the people with the best knowledge of the upcoming opponents is SVW head coach Ole Werner, who took charge of 74 second-division games in the Storks’ dug-out. “I have a very close connection with the club but it is now over three years since I was there. Therefore, that will not play a role in the match,” explained the 36-year-old coach, switching focus onto the match in hand. “It is important that we give a better performance than in Gladbach.”
An improved performance will be even more essential now that the newly-promoted team are fuelled by a first win of the season last time out at home to 1. FC Heidenheim (1-0). Werner explained how that first top-flight victory was far from a fluke. “It came as little surprise to me when they got that first win. They defend well and very compactly and can play out well. We are certainly aware of their quality, not only after this first win but also based off of their previous performances. They performed well away from home in Leverkusen and Stuttgart in particular.”
The Green-Whites would like to do what Holstein managed last weekend and celebrate their first win of the season in front of a home crowd, by defeating the side currently 17th in the table. “We are only focused on the task at hand not on where our opponents placed right now, but how they go about things on the pitch. We obviously want to win, but in order to do that we will have to be at the top of our game,” emphasised the Werder coach.
????️ Werner with a squad update ahead of #svwksv:
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) November 7, 2024
"Marco Grüll, Abdenego Nankishi and Mitchell Weiser won't be in the squad. We will wait until our final training session to make a decision regarding Skelly Alvero's involvement." #werderpic.twitter.com/OALbuXNrcc
Marco Grüll (muscle injury) and Mitchell Weiser (suspended) will not be available for SVW’s upcoming challenge, however. Skelly Alvero also remains a doubt, as Werner reported. “With him, we will have to wait and see after the final training session.”
