The coach’s monument is crumbling, but will be trimmed once again after nine winless games in a row. Werder bremen holds on to coaching institution thomas schaaf. For the time being, at least until this weekend’s home game with bayer leverkusen.
"Thomas schaaf is sitting on the bench in leverkusen," confirmed club boss klaus filbry and sports general manager thomas eichin.
This is apparently the result of several crisis meetings over the weekend after the 0:3 against wolfsburg, which was perceived as a disaster. "We sat together with thomas on saturday evening. Yesterday too, today too. We have analyzed the situation. And how we can best prepare for the leverkusen game," said an irritated eichin.
The game-changing performance against wolfsburg did not ease relegation worries – the gap to the relegation zone is still five points – but it did aggravate the crisis and worsen the mood. Eichin and filbry answered the questions about schaaf’s future in a remarkably irritated manner.
More than a few see schaaf at the end of his rope after just under 14 years as bremen’s head coach. Spatestens after another bankruptcy in leverkusen and when the competition closes the gap. This, however, was rejected by eichin. There can be no talk of an "ultimatum". "We are sure that thomas schaaf will be the best person to get us out of this situation. I am sure the team will show a reaction." And if not?
Filbry and eichin did not give a job guarantee beyond the leverkusen game, which is why the alleged non-ultimate date is such a thing. "I don’t discuss things that will come up at some point," eichin only said. Whether schaaf will still catch up with otto rehhagel, who coached werder for a little more than 14 years between 1981 and 1995, as the most senior bremen coach, is at least questionable at the moment, despite the confession on monday. Some media were already speculating that schaaf could be finished by summer at the latest. "The question of what’s in summer, what’s in winter and what’s in 2014, i’m not talking about that," said eichin.
Even schaaf did not want to talk. Instead, he tightened the leashes ahead of a weekend that could be crucial for his future. On the otherwise free monday his team had to work. Already on sunday, the 51-year old had chased the entire squad around the course during interval running.