The question as to who brought the rainy weather is a relatively easy one to answer. Shortly before the SV Werder first-team took to the training pitch in Zell am Ziller, a light downpour began in traditional North German manner. “We feel at home,” chuckled head coach Ole Werner. “Not just because of the weather, but also because we’ve been here a few times before and can get some good work done in the next week and a half.”
After a light session with lots of ball work today, the Green-Whites will move onto some more intense double sessions in the next couple of days. The players will need to be ready to put the hard work in. “The second week of pre-season is usually concerned with achieving the required physical standards,” said coach Werner. “However, we won’t be doing that exclusively via running, but also include certain aspects that we want the team to take with them.”
This includes defending their own goal in the penalty area, but also some critical parts of possession. After the head coach saw lots of positive signs last season, he would like to now continue with some more detailed work. “We want to transfer these intricate elements of our possession play onto the pitch,” explained Werner, “as we did well last season, and then go a step further.”
Alongside the training sessions, the ten-day stay in Zillertal will also see Werder play friendly matches against Serie A side U.S. Lecce (20/7, 15:00 CEST) and Sheffield Wednesday of the English Championship (26/7, 14:00 CEST). “We quickly want test ourselves at the level that will be expected of us in the Bundesliga, and therefore are facing off against two very different sides,” added Werner. “You always have to take into account how far certain teams are into their pre-season preparations, but the matches will, in part, show us how we’re getting on.”
The boss ????#werderpic.twitter.com/QlaPRAcgTx
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) July 17, 2024
