“Now it’s about fine-tuning”

The first day of SV Werder Bremen’s second summer training camp is drawing to a close. After arriving at lunchtime, the Green-Whites took to the training pitch for the first time at Hotel-Residence Klosterpforte. During the session, head coach Daniel Thioune and head of professional football Peter Niemeyer spoke about the days ahead:

Head coach Daniel Thioune on…

…the conditions at the training camp: “We’ve got exactly the conditions we were hoping for. I think we’ll be able to work here without any distractions. The pitches and other facilities are all close to each other, which is something I always appreciate as a coach. You can practically roll out of bed and onto the training pitch. My first impression is very positive.”

…having a second training camp during pre-season: “Being together around the clock gives us an opportunity to further set our tactics in stone. The last few games have shown us areas that we still need to improve. We’ve also now got some of the internationals with us who weren’t there in Zillertal. This training camp gives us the chance to further develop the understanding within the team.”

…what he expects from the team: “I expect the players to produce the necessary intensity and to be receptive to what we’re working on, and they’ve done that throughout pre-season so far. We’ll go back over the things that haven’t worked as well yet. There are a few important areas we need to address, such as our build-up play, which has still been a little sloppy. We’re past the stage of doing the really high-intensity sessions now. It’s about putting things into practice on the pitch. We’re getting closer to the first matchday, so now it’s about fine-tuning.”

Head of professional football Peter Niemeyer on…

…the training camp: “We’re really looking forward to our time here. We’ve got very good pitches, an excellent hotel and great conditions all round. I’m sure it will be a good week with lots of hard work. Having a second training camp was important for us so that we could bring the squad as a whole, including the World Cup players, together. Over the next few days, the focus will primarily be on the tactical side of things. Our aim is to make the most of every session as we improve how we play both in and out of possession. We also want to continue growing together as a group.”

…where the team are at in pre-season: “Of course, everyone is looking forward to the season getting under way soon. At the start of pre-season, everyone is full of energy and eager to get going, but it can also be a long and demanding period. So it’s good that our first competitive game, in the DFB-Pokal, is now less than a week and a half away.”

…Romano Schmid’s absence: “Romano said goodbye to the team this morning and has travelled to speak with another club. We’ll see how things develop over the next few days.”

…potential transfers: “We know what our situation is. We want to get something done, but we always have to keep the financial side in mind. A lot of names are being linked with us at the moment, which is normal during the transfer window, but we won’t comment on individual players. We need to generate income while still putting together a competitive squad. Those are the two things we have to balance.”

…Daniel Flottmann's new role as top-talent coordinator: “In Daniel Flottmann, we’ve appointed someone from within the club who has already worked with the lads at U19 and U23 level. We’ve adapted the role slightly for him because he’ll be involved both with us and the U23s. We strongly believe that he’s the right person to support the lads both on and off the pitch.”