Sunday May 16, 2021
Club legend Schaaf takes over
Werder Bremen fires coach Kohfeldt
One matchday before the end of the season, Werder Bremen pulls the rip cord and changes coach. Thomas Schaaf takes over for Florian Kohfeldt. The Werder veteran should give the decisive impetus to secure relegation in the home game against Gladbach.
Werder Bremen parted ways with their coach Florian Kohfeldt one day before the end of the season. Former coach Thomas Schaaf will look after the team until the end of the season, as the Bundesliga club, threatened with relegation, announced. The green-whites are currently on the relegation place.
After the 2-0 defeat at FC Augsburg, managing director Frank Baumann avoided making a clear commitment to Kohfeldt before the season finale. “Unfortunately after the game in Augsburg we were no longer convinced that we would be able to stay up with Florian Kohfeldt. That is why we consulted with the committees on the evening after the game and came to this decision at the end Florian Kohfeldt is an excellent coach, but we agreed to make another change in order to still achieve relegation. We thank Florian for everything he has done for Werder and wish him all the best, “said Baumann now on the club’s homepage.
Kohfeldt had already faced the end three weeks ago. At that time, those responsible around managing director Frank Baumann only expressed confidence in the 38-year-old for the DFB Cup semi-final against RB Leipzig after the 1: 3 at Union Berlin. Werder lost 2-1 in extra time, but the bosses saw the team’s passionate performance as a sign that Kohfeldt could succeed in saving. Baumann and Co. also commented positively on the 0-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen last weekend. But after the 2-0 defeat in Augsburg, the eighth defeat in the past nine games, the belief in Kohfeldt was gone.
The 60-year-old Schaaf, who had already coached Werder Bremen for 14 years and among other things won the double with the green-whites in 2004, will sit in the coaching bench against Borussia Mönchengladbach next Saturday (3.30 p.m. / Sky). “We are glad that Thomas will take on this task in such a precarious situation for the club. We hope that he can bring his experience to the table and employ the players for the last game of the season. It will be about giving them the unconditional conviction and to give the absolute will for the last game of the season and possibly also for the relegation in order to achieve our goal, “said Baumann.
Schaaf spoke of a “huge challenge” on the last day of the match. “But we still have every opportunity to stay in the league. We don’t have much time, but we will do everything we can to start the game with passion, confidence and belief in our own strength and to be successful in the end. “
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