Now Werder have to do it again. No questions asked. “We can’t think too small,” explains Kohfeldt. “Confidence means doing something which others are hesitant to do.” That’s already come across in various ways: “We’ve already invested a lot in terms of cognition and nutrition. We have dared to prepare for next season in new and exciting ways,” Kohfeldt says.

 
And on the field, confidence will translate to a more attacking philosophy. Kohfeldt wants to continue improving his side’s link-up play and take calculated risks in order to be more versatile. He also wants his team’s conditioning to improve, particularly through intense running exercises. Defensive improvements will naturally be sought after too.

Kohfeldt himself radiates the exact kind of self-confidence that he expects of his players. Confidence in his case means getting better himself by taking on new projects, learning from the experience and not being afraid to fail. “That’s a part of it”, especially when expectations are “as high as possible”. What’s for sure is that hard work is the difference between daring and winning.