Fast Werner succession
© Imago
SV Werder can make a hook behind the question of the new trainer and are now devoting themselves to squad planning for the coming season. Horst Steffen leaves the SV Elversberg for the Bremener and is reported to a contract until 2028 at Weser. A transfer fee of 350,000 euros set by the SVE is reportedly due.
Steffen follows Ole Werner, who had to leave the club during the week after not wanting to extend his contract that runs until 2026. Werder sports director Clemens Fritz had later made it clear that this development had been prepared for a long time. A few days after the separation, the SVW can now present the successor Steffen, who is considered the desired candidate for the Hanseatic candidate. From autumn 2018, he had led the club from Saarland from the regional league to the relegation games for the Bundesliga promotion. There Elversberg just missed the walk to the upper house against 1. FC Heidenheim (2: 2, 1: 2).
“Horst has absolutely convinced us in the conversations and humanly. He has done outstanding work in Elversberg in the past seven years. Horst stands for offensive, attractive football and a very good and clear team leadership. We are convinced that we are well equipped with him,” said Werder Managing Director Fritz
Werder Bremen had postponed squad planning for coaching questions
After the separation of Werner, Werder Fritz had emphasized that he had “deliberately waited” because of the uncertainty in the coaching question about the squad planning. Bremen’s transfer policy is said to have been a friction point of the club tour with the ex-coach. Fritz recently emphasized that one wanted to rely on the training of one’s own talent. Working with young players is considered the great strength of the new trainer.
Steffen also looked after Nick Woltemade when he was borrowed from the Bremern to the SVE in 2022/23. Due to a lack of perspective under Werner, the striker moved to Stuttgart free of charge, made the breakthrough to the international and is now to be the focus of top international clubs. “Last summer we hardly had any transfer income – we cannot maintain that every year,” said Fritz in an interview of the magazine “Kicker” published on Tuesday. “Then it is important to find good solutions, to take into account our young players – and to see that as a way to develop the team further.”
Stefen said after his signature: “When the request from Werder came, it was initially a great recognition for me and my work. In the conversations, I had given me a lot of appreciation and showed me what the club was going on in the next few years. This exchange was absolutely convincing me and I quickly decided on Werder. Bremen has a good team that has developed in the past three years in the Bundesliga. I like to continue with the players.