How well is SV Werder Bremen’s squad set up for the new season? Head coach Ole Werner already has a “good feeling” about the current “framework”
With the three new signings Keke Topp, Markus Kolke and the previously loaned-out Skelly Alvero, SV Werder Bremen started the first team training session of the new season on Monday. The Austrian Marco Grüll, who has also been signed, is still on vacation following his participation in the European Championship. How does Ole Werner feel about his current squad at the start? “I’m happy with the way things are at the moment,” explained the coach after the first session: “Because we have a framework that has played a very good second half of the season.”
He therefore still has at his disposal the team that finished the second half of the season in sixth place in the Bundesliga – and which has so far “not had to cope with too many changes” in terms of departures: Nick Woltemade as one of the players who blossomed in the second half of the season excepted. “That means,” says Werner, “we can build on many things that were good last season and that fundamentally set us apart. And hopefully we can also develop one or two things that will make us even better. “
Werder squad offers Werner “all possibilities “
In any case, the 36-year-old emphasizes that Bremen’s playing idea should remain the same, and the current circumstances should certainly be conducive to taking it to the next level. Unlike last year, no positions in the team are currently vacant or understaffed; this no longer makes training work more difficult, especially in preparation. The squad currently offers Werner “every opportunity to find a new way to be good again this year.”
As a result, the Osterdeich no longer seems to be expecting an overly turbulent summer of transfers, as the coach suggests: “I don’t think that the big wheel will be turned and, similar to last year, six or seven transfers will be made at the end,” says Werner. At that time, a lot still depended on Niclas Füllkrug’s future plans – it was only at the end of August, shortly before the transfer deadline, that there was a lot of movement in Bremen’s line-up
Zetterer remains number one
This time, the plans should be completed earlier. “We are in a situation where we are looking at who else can strengthen us,” explains Werner – and continues in view of the strategic partner Werder has found in the meantime: “We are – also unlike last year – in a situation where we can decide for ourselves to a certain extent what we do and when.” These new conditions give him a “good feeling”, although “something will certainly happen” in the squad.
What won’t change for the time being, however, is the order of precedence in goal. “We’re going in with a clear hierarchy,” says Werner. Michael Zetterer will remain number one, loan returnee Mio Backhaus will be number two despite all his personal ambitions and new signing Markus Kolke will be the new number three, as was considered when he was signed
