The year 2019 is approaching its end. And even if recent results haven’t quite gone to plan, it is worth looking back at eventful twelve months filled with highs and lows. 2019 was the year Werder celebrated its anniversary. It was a year characterised by a euphoric second half of the season, with awards for Pizarro, Osako, Kohfeldt and many more. From injuries, to autumn blues, to ESPORTS triumphs, to experiencing new shores in South Africa; it’s a year worth looking back on!
In early July, Werder travelled to the Austrian Alpine foothills for the eighth time in a row. As part of pre-season, the green-whites set up their tents in the Zillertal, much to the delight of numerous Werder fans who travelled to the mountains with their idols. But one came a few days late: Maik Kuntze.
Born in Bremen, he is a genuine Werder fan from birth and gave himself a very special mission shortly after his 43rd birthday. For him it was clear: `Zillertal, I want to be there too - but by plane or by car? No, no. ‘Kuntze jumped onto his bike and headed from Bremen to Austria with all the strenght he could muster. Just three days later, his bike failed him in Hannover. It decided it didn’t want plaz ball and broke in to two. Ouch! But there was no reason for the 43-year-old to give up and so he donated his holiday money for the repair of the broken bike and was compensated by a huge round applause on the day of his arrival: "It was extremely exhausting, but also great fun," Kuntze told WERDER afterwards. Well done, Maik!
The Werder players also had to struggle every day from the hotel to the training facility. There, the green-whites not only completed countless hard training sessions, but also faced Karlsruher SC, Austrian first division club Swarovski Wattens and Darmstadt 98 in three frinedlies. As usual, Kohfeldt's conclusion of pre-season was positive. Only one thing worried the Werder coach, but in a positive sense: “The only thing that really worries me is that we’ve managed to get through everything. Huge compliments to the staff and everyone who works around the team,” said Kohfeldt.
Other important events:
10/07/2019: The number 2 goalkeeper stays, hoping to one day be the number one.. Stefanos Kapino signed a new contract during the pre-season. Kapino: “Both the club and I want to be succesful together and I’ll give it everything I’ve got to try and make that happen.“
30/07/2019: Florian Kohfeldt extended his contract until 2023. Frank Baumann: He really identifies with this club, and he’s proving it once again.“
SV Werder last won the DFB-Pokal over ten years ago at the Berlin Olympiastadion. With the victory in the 2009 final, the green-whites not only won their last big title, but also managed to win the cup without winning a single home game. A decade later, Werder kicked off yet another DFB-Pokal campaign with an away tie, but the tie was eventually moved to the wohninvest WESERSTADION.
In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, SV Werder played against local rivals Atlas Delmenhorst, a club from just 15 kilometres away. The joy was palpable in the city of around 80,000 people after the draw, since the clubs have a very special relationship and such a history with one another. Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt not only grew up in Delmenhorst, but also knows many of the active players there from their time at Werder.
But that's not all: Because the stadium in Delmenhorst was too small for such an undertaking, Atlas chairman Manfred Engelbart turned to the Bundesliga club next door with a cry for help and asked for a solution. After consultation with the Werder managers and thanks to a special regulation by the DFB, the SVW was actually able to play its away game in it own stadium. In front of a sold out crowd, the players prodecued an entertaining 6-1 spectacle in which the fans of both teams got their money's worth.
In the end, SV Werder booked their place in the next round through two goals from legendary striker Claudio Pizarro. Pizarro is the oldest player to score two goals in one game in the history of the DFB-Pokal. Another record.
Other important events:
01/08/19: Leading by example. Niklas Moisander became the new Werder captain after Max Kruse left the club. Kohfeldt decided to appoint the centre pack to the leading role at the end of their training camp in Grassau.
03/08/19: Milot Rashica ended las season with a healthy tally of 14 goals. The ‘rocket’ was voted Werder player of the season and was given the prize on ‘fans’ day’. A frindlz against Everton finished goalless.
11/08/19: Ömer Toprak made the switch to the Weser. Due to a series of injurie though, the team have only been able to field the Turkish national four times this season so far.
17/08/19: Werder lost their first Bundesliga game of the season at home 3-1 to an efficient Dusseldorf side.
20/08/19: Claudio Pizarro was awarded the DFL-Ehrenpreis. Thomas Schaaf: “He’s a player that’s been great everywhere he’s been, and not just in a sporting capacity."
It sounds a bit like a myth, a story, and it reminds you a little bit of Leicester’s Jamie Vardy. Well, Christian Groß’s season probably won’t end with the title, but for the experienced defender and captain of the U23 team, things have been great in the current season so far with the experienced defender accomplishing things that probably nobody would have thought possible
Brought in in 2018 as the leading player for the second team from Osnabrück, the 30-year-old, as a seasoned third division professional, should actually help the young players and prepare them for high-class professional football. After a year and 31 games for Werder II, the unexpected promotion came at the beginning of the season. Due to the plethora of injuries to the green and whites, the defensive midfielder moved up to the first team, played all of pre-season and was able to celebrate his debut in the cup against Delmenhorst as a central defender at the wohninvest WESERSTADION.
It gets even better? Hard to believe, but yes. Subsequently, Groß made his debut against Augsburg in the Bundesliga and was then in the starting eleven for sic consecutive games, including the game at Union Berlin and all five games in September. First professional squad, then the DFB-Pokal and now Bundesliga: Christian Groß then went one better and earned a contract extension on the Weser thanks to his good performances. "The fact that I was able to extend my contract early is a great appreciation. I have had many great moments with Werder in the past few months and I am looking forward to the future,” said Groß proudly.
Other important events:
01/09/2019: After three match days, they finally did it: Werder's 3-1 home win against Augsburg was the first win of the current Bundesliga season.
20/09/2019: The injury crisis was rampant in Bremen. After a tackle in training, Niklas Füllkrug is seriously injured and has subsequent knee surgery that will keep him out for a long time.
