Former player Christian Groß named assistant coach at Werder | OneFootball

Groß made 118 competitive appearances for the Green-Whites (photo: WERDER.DE)

SV Werder Bremen have completed their search for a new assistant coach. Former player Christian Groß rounds off Horst Steffen’s coaching staff, ready for the start of pre-season. Managing director for sport Clemens Fritz confirmed on Tuesday that the club had reached an agreement for the 36-year-old’s return to Osterdeich.

“Christian made a very good impression during our selection process. During those talks, he had a very clear understanding of his role, his approach, his expectations, and his view of the squad and the team’s direction. We know that stepping into the role of assistant coach is a new chapter for him, but we’re confident he will settle in quickly and make a real success of it. We believe his appointment is a great addition for us, and of course, we’ll support him as he grows into the role. As part of his responsibilities, Grosso will also be involved in analysis – an area where the experience he recently gained working as a scout for Bayer Leverkusen will be a real advantage,” said Clemens Fritz.

Head coach Horst Steffen is equally convinced they’ve made the right choice in bringing in the former Bundesliga player. “When you look at Christian’s career, how he had to fight for everything and still managed to make it to the Bundesliga towards the end of his playing days, I have no doubt he’ll throw himself into this new role with the same dedication and attention to detail. He’ll learn fast. On top of that, he brings real knowledge, personal qualities, and a connection to Werder that was also important to me when filling this position.”

Christian Groß himself is also excited to be returning to the Weser. “I’m really grateful to Werder for giving me the chance to take on this new role. The conversations with Horst Steffen, Clemens Fritz and Peter Niemeyer left me in no doubt – we’re a great fit both personally and in terms of how we work. I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing plenty of familiar faces again.”

During his playing days, Groß joined Werder’s U23s in 2018, making the step up to the first team a year later. He went on to make 118 competitive appearances (1 goal) for Werder over five years. After retiring in 2024, the 36-year-old spent time working in the scouting department at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.