It was exactly three years to the day that Ole Werner became head coach of Werder Bremen on 28/11/2021. Success has followed ever since, with the first season together leading to the club’s return to the Bundesliga before consolidating that top-flight status in the two years afterwards. In the press conference ahead of the home match against VfB Stuttgart, the Werder coach briefly looked back on his time at the club before turning his attention to the upcoming opponent.
Head coach Ole Werner has now been at the helm of SV Werder Bremen for exactly three years. His position in charge of the Green-Whites is only the 36-year-old’s second such job in senior German football, previously coaching Holstein Kiel. After taking the reins with the club sat 10th in the second tier, Werner and his side currently occupy 12th spot three years on – a division higher that is! “The time has flown by,” reflects Werner during his press conference ahead of the home clash with Stuttgart. Grinning slightly, he adds, “I can still remember a lot of the feelings that I've experienced here. A number of the players I started with are still at the club. It's been a successful period and one that we all worked hard for together.”
The coach also refers to his metaphorical footballing toolbox, which continues to be added to as his time at SV Werder goes on. “It keeps getting bigger and bigger, because every situation is different, so I’m always continuing to learn and develop. I have to carry on proving myself as each new challenge arrives.”
The latest challenge on the cards for Werner and the Green-Whites comes in the form of VfB Stuttgart. The Champions League side currently hold a solitary point more than SV Werder. However, their away from has proven to be something of an Achilles’ heel, winning only one of their five matches on the road so far (D2, L2). On top of that, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side go into the clash with Werder off the back of a 5-1 defeat in the Champions League at the hands of Crvena Zvezda. “There isn’t much to separate the teams in the table right now. VfB are a top side in terms of the way they play and their squad, something that isn’t altered by their most recent result in the Champions League or their position in the standings. We are preparing for an encounter with a tough opponent and want to produce a strong performance ourselves,” emphasised Werner.
Werder’s head coach was also of the opinion that the team’s showing during the narrow 1-0 defeat in Frankfurt not only nearly earned a point but deserved to do so as well. Nevertheless, he knows that his side need to up it if they are to secure a second home victory in a row, as he describes. “We needed to act quicker both in transition and during the moments we had in front of goal in Frankfurt. That does not mean we’re going to start employing a shoot on site policy but simply that we need to be more effective and accurate in our build-up in order to play at a higher tempo. Especially since the upcoming opponent possesses enormous quality. The lads have shown that they can do that, though. Now it’s all about getting into those positions where we can have real success.”
The specific tool that Ole Werner chooses from his box for the home match on Saturday may only be revealed to us after the game.
