Only a few match days before the end of the Bundesliga season, SV Werder Bremen was able to save itself from relegation and thus ensure a somewhat forgiving end to a disastrous season. Sports director Clemens Fritz was always at the center of criticism. Its future has now been decided.
At the end of the disappointing Bundesliga season, the North Germans gave a detailed analysis of the season. In the course of this, the Bremen supervisory board also voted on further collaboration with Clemens Fritz.
The 45-year-old received a 9-0 vote on the supervisory board and can therefore continue in his position in the coming season.
“Clemens demonstrated management skills during a major crisis and implemented measures during the season to significantly improve processes and coordination,” said a statement from the control committee. “Werder Bremen will consistently continue on the path of integrating young, promising players into the Bundesliga team, creating values and developing the club.”
“Mistakes were made”
Even though the feedback on the vote was extremely positive, there were also clear words in Fritz’s direction: “Mistakes were made in the sporting planning and implementation, and there were also some misjudgments in the transfer policy. Unfortunately, the desired effect of the change of coach in the summer to Horst Steffen did not occur.
We therefore expect “stable development, consistency and offensive power” next season.
Werder only scored 32 points last season and in the end they were particularly lucky that three teams scored even fewer points. Fritz came under criticism primarily because of his squad planning last summer: the new center forward Victor Boniface turned out to be a transfer flop. Seven of eight new arrivals were only loaned out.
Now funds are needed to avoid such a system. Income is currently being generated for this purpose. Goalkeeper Mio Backhaus was sold to SC Freiburg on Saturday for more than ten million euros. Jens Stage and defender Karim Coulibaly could also bring Werder millions in income.
