After nine games without a win, Bremen absolutely have to win against Gladbach on Saturday. Horst Steffen has trust in his team, but is the focus himself.
When the situation becomes more unpleasant and the tone becomes harsher at a football club, lip service is given that doesn’t last for long. At Werder Bremen, at least the words of managing director Clemens Fritz still seem to apply.
After the 2-0 defeat in the catch-up game against Hoffenheim on Tuesday evening, Fritz expressed his confidence in coach Horst Steffen. “We have to get out of this together,” he emphasized: “I am convinced that we will do that. It is a long way and a hard piece of work, but we will tackle it.”
“Together through a difficult phase”
Werder coach Horst Steffen gave a long speech to his players after the defeat against Hoffenheim, but stood in front of them again.
Two days later, this support appears to have not changed. “I feel the trust,” explained Steffen on Thursday at the press conference before the game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.: “Clemens made a clear statement in front of the camera and didn’t take it back internally afterwards. We are going through a difficult phase together.”
Steffen smiled a lot during the media round, seemed balanced and not the least bit annoyed. It is the first time for him that he gets to know how ruthless business works in the Bundesliga. At 56, Steffen has job experience, but is still a newcomer to this elite position.
Endgame atmosphere against Gladbach
And so many around the northern club see the management team around Fritz as responsible for Bremen’s fall from eighth place in the table to 15th. The mistakes in the transfer policy are their territory, not Steffen’s. But the coach is usually the weakest link in this game. And although Steffen doesn’t feel like he’s on probation, the duel with Gladbach still has a final atmosphere about it.
“The team is longing for a sense of success,” said Steffen. Werder has been winless for nine games in a row – the longest since being promoted again in 2022. And has only scored 21 goals in 19 games. “It’s an important game for us,” he added, but every game is important for him, he added. He smiled again and you wondered whether Steffen had an enviable level of relaxation or whether he hadn’t recognized the seriousness of the situation.
Coach Steffen remains completely true to himself
With every sentence he says on Thursday, Steffen demonstrates that he wants to remain true to himself. No ad hoc actions, no changed tone, no panic changes in the squad. It’s decimated anyway. He wanted to prepare the team the way he always did before. And hopes that his team can finally turn their potential into results.
As always, the coach protects his players, but they have not yet proven that they value this service. And after the Hoffenheim setback, captain Jens Stage even questioned the quality of the team. Even against an opponent like Gladbach, who has their own problems in eleventh place, a win cannot be taken for granted.
This duel is one where we can say that now there is an opponent who is on equal terms. I believe the team is capable of winning games and we are working to make that happen soon.
(Werder coach Horst Steffen about opponents Mönchengladbach)
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