After much speculation and frequently posed questions, today, the answer to the question of who would follow in the footsteps of Torsten Frings as new Werder captain was unmistakably answered: Per Mertesacker wore the arm band and led out the Green-Whites against Kaiserslautern.

"The trainer came to me and said I was to wear the captain's armband - what am I supposed to do?" commented the defensive boss: "I will lead out Werder with pride and, as captain, lead by example. You may not always be up to the job but it's one that must be fulfilled," explained the German international, who would be happy to fill the role for "the next 100 years", as he admitted with a smile.