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Werder faces Union Berlin on Saturday, but the reunion with Max Kruse is canceled. Werder coach Kohfeldt regrets it but is happy from a sporting point of view.
Image: Imago | Michael Weber
Florian Kohfeldt did not formulate good resolutions for himself, and perhaps the Werder coach got it right on New Year’s Day. After all, you don’t have to worry about missing them later. However, these days Kohfeldt expects from his players the same thing he always expects: total concentration and “not the slightest drop in tension.”
Between the years and after the four-day mini winter break over the Christmas break, some Werder pros probably weren’t that easy. And Kohfeldt didn’t like it at all. “The day before yesterday I didn’t like the training at all,” said the coach on New Year’s Eve, “and that’s what I told them.” A ruckus before New Years Eve, but it had obviously worked. “Training yesterday was much better,” Kohfeldt emphasized.
Werder’s latest hit is shaking
Image: Gumzmedia | Andreas Gumz
Understandably, the coach pays special attention to the heightened senses. Because the little joy with the win against Mainz 05 and the cup win over Hannover 96 gives Werder the much-needed tailwind, but Bremen’s successes are still shaking and can quickly give way again. “We have to work with the tailwind every time we play,” warns Kohfeldt.
And that will be quite a challenge on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 pm at the Weser Stadium, because Union Berlin is one of the surprise teams of the first half of the season. Kohfeldt has “the greatest respect” for the sixth table, but is a bit torn as the Berliners travel to Bremen without the injured Max Kruse.
“It’s okay for us that Max isn’t there.”
“Max has exceptional quality, he was able to prove it again this season and I am happy for him,” Kohfeldt said. He still maintains a good relationship with his former captain and is in regular contact with the difference player. The two have not seen each other in the last year and a half. Kohfeldt finds it even more “too bad we won’t see each other tomorrow. I would have loved to see him again.” But Kohfeldt can do without the experience of the 32-year-old’s six goals and five assists on Saturday.
From a sporting point of view, of course, it has brought more variability to Union. Which is why I would be lying if I said that I will miss Max at Union starting with XI tomorrow. It’s okay with us that he doesn’t play along.
Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt on New Years
With or without Kruse, for Werder against Union it’s all about the distance at table 13. Not ripping off the top half of the table and blowing the tailwind into the New Year. “We have big plans and we really want to win,” Kohfeldt said. And that counted as at least a good little resolution earlier in the year.
This topic on the show:
ARD, Sportschau, January 2, 2021, 7 pm
