“When Werder Bremen come calling, you don’t have to think twice” | OneFootball

Steffen most recently coached SV Elversberg for nearly seven years (Photo: WERDER.DE).

Press conference with Horst Steffen at his presentation as new head coach

It has been a tumultuous past week. Ole Werner first announced that he would not be extending his contract with the club before the Werder hierarchy came to the decision to part ways him. Meanwhile, Horst Steffen had still been hoping to achieve Bundesliga promotion with SV Elversberg via the play-off. Following the 56-year-old’s appointment as the new figure at the helm last Thursday, he and Clemens Fritz took to the press conference room to answer questions from the media.

Head coach Horst Steffen on...

…the reasons behind his decision to sign: “This is all very exciting right now and that will not change over the next few days and weeks. We have a lot of things to discuss. The new city, the new stadium, the new dressing room and the new players make the switch both thrilling and challenging. I’m really looking forward to this task, and the fact that I haven’t coached in the Bundesliga before also played a role. When Werder Bremen come calling, you don’t have to think twice.”

Steffen took Elversberg from the fourth to the second division (Photo: W.DE).

…his first days on the job: “My task now is to build on what I know from watching on the TV, analysing the team in detail, going into depth. I spend a lot of time making assessments of matches and players in order to have a good judgement of or recognise potential for different positioning come the start of training.”

…his style of football: “It is very important to put our stamp on a game, fully committing to winning it. Thinking we can win matches in a scrappy fashion does not reflect my approach. We want to ignite enthusiasm, while demonstrating commitment and togetherness. We want to showcase true team spirit and play with desire and joy.”

…being a communicative coach: “For me, the most normal approach is to look each other in the eye and simply address any issues. It is important to consistently review things. I want to keep developing as a coach and possess the knowledge that ideas that worked last week won’t automatically the next. My mood is not often affected, only if situations are made harder than necessary. Everything always has to be done in the interests of the group and the sporting performance.”

…contrasts with the second tier: “The squad is similar because I am always just working with a group of people. The players here in Bremen are more alert, and the pace, technique and athleticism will also be higher. We will have to work very hard to be successful. The challenge for me is to familiarise myself with all that is new and to showcase that I can master the step up, as I have done following past promotions.”

…young players: “Fundamentally, I like to integrate young players who have the required quality. Some in the past have also not been able to make it. I watched the U19s in the final against Karlsruhe and I have hopes that a number of them will be able to develop further. Working with them on a day-to-day basis will make that clearer. It was important for me to get an impression of them because a few places in the squad have been earmarked. Older players will not be left behind, however, since I want everyone to improve.”

…targets: “I can only provide precise goals once I have got to know the team, pre-season preparation has been completed, and we have played the first few games of the Bundesliga season. Any predictions made right now on how the team is going to perform would be amiss. At the moment, I am implementing my ideas and analysis, but we can talk again in three months’ time about assessments.”

…making the move to Bremen: “I have just come by myself initially and then my wife will join as soon as possible. We have a place in the Lower Rhine which we don’t want to give up. However, I may well need to get a lot of match tickets because my family will be cheering me on and wishing me luck.”

Managing director of professional football Clemens Fritz on...

…reasons behind Horst Steffen’s appointment: “We scoured the market, held positive discussions and shared similar ideas both in terms of personality and content. We had a requirement profile that was extremely important to us, encompassing someone who could deliver high intensity, attacking football, as well as development. With the way he sets his teams up to play, it quickly became clear that Horst was our preferred candidate. It was crucial to have clarity internally and then bring this into effect quickly.”

Clemens Fritz provides insight into squad planning (Photo: WERDER.DE).

…the coaching staff: “It is no secret that Horst would like to bring someone with him and we remain in talks with Elversberg. We are also in the process of establishing the profile for a further assistant coach together with Horst’s input. It would be nice to have everything sorted as soon as possible but these things can take a few days.”

…squad planning: “We have deliberately held back. I read that Ole Werner cut things short, but that wasn’t the case. We did a lot of preparation and held a lot of discussions, but it is still not certain that we will open the floodgates for signings tomorrow or the day after. It was important for us to get an assessment from the coach so that we are on the same page.”

…Horst Steffen’s role in shaping the team: “At the end of the day, it is important to us that Horst has an idea of the players he wants on his shortlist. We need to see whether we have the same player profiles in mind regarding one position or another and hence we need a bit more time. There will be no quick decisions. When we invest money, those we bring in need to fit the coach’s requirements.”

…the transfer window: “We are not required to be forced into anything and do not have to wait to sell a player before acting. We have expressly said that we have the aim of generating transfer income, but the task now is to decide from which position. Of course, we don’t have a huge money pot to draw from, so have to be economically prudent. Horst initially needs to make an overview of the team and what we need, then we will decide what to implement first. When I look at the squad, though, I am not at all concerned about heading into pre-season with that currently at our disposal. We are very active on the market, holding talks and looking at what we can do.”