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Werder Bremen; Longest Serving Bundesliga Club relegated to Bundesliga 2


havanatopia

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How the mighty can fall. They escaped on the last day last season but this time they could not save themselves. Dispensing with their manager Florian Kohfeldt just before the final game of this season in a final roll of the dice. That was a tough call to make. The club felt Kohfeldt deserved another bash at improving on last season but it failed. A club known for its loyalty to managers is very admirable and, with Rehhagel and Schaaf, has worked spectacularly down the years. Not this time.

For an obscure reason I have followed Werder since I was a teenager just keeping an eye on their results.

Otto Rehhagel was their longest serving manager and what a incredible job he did there. He managed Werder Bremen from 1981 to 1995. During these 14 golden years for the club, Rehhagel transformed Werder from a small minnow into a powerhouse, dazzling spectators with powerful up-tempo play and a smothering defence. During this spell, Werder Bremen established themselves as one of the main teams in the Bundesliga, overtaking hated rivals Hamburg as the top club in the north and sparking an intense feud with Bayern Munich who he went on to manage after leaving Werder. In the mid-eighties, Rehhagel often fell just short of success and had a string of second places and Cup Final losses. In that time, his nickname was Otto II or Vizeadmiral ("Vice Admiral"). However, Rehhagel led Werder to two German championships in 1988 and 1993, two DFB Pokal victories in 1991 and 1994, as well as winning the European Cup Winners Cup in 1992. In this period, Rehhagel produced a host of international stars, such as Rudi Voller, Karheinz Riedle, dieter Elts, Marco Bode, Mario Basler, Hany Ramzy, Andreas Herzog and Rune Bratseth. Rehhagel's team of 1987–88 was until recently the squad which conceded the fewest goals ever in the Bundesliga (22), this record was surpassed by Bayern Munich in the 2007–08 season with 21 goals. His  14 year stint with Werder is the second longest consecutive occupation as a manager ever in the Bundesliga. It was only recently surpassed by Volker Finke of Freiburg (16 years).

Thomas Schaaf also managed Werder for 14 years and was also very successful, wining the double in 2003-4 and he also managed them to several cup victories including to the final of the old UEFA cup final in 2009 where they just fell short to Shaktar. He qualified them 5 times for the Champions League from 2004-9. He left by 'mutual consent' in 2014 having finished mid table and, once again, a club failed to improve after he left as so often happens; it was a slow fall after that.

Schaaf was linked to the club for four decades since his days as a youth player. During the press conference where he announced his resignation, he spoke of his admiration of the club and the joy of his time spent at the Weserstadion, saying, "I had an extraordinary time here, connected with a lot of positive experiences and great successes. I would like to thank everyone who accompanied me along the way and supported me. I wish Werder Bremen a successful future.

He soon found work again for Eintracht and then Hannover 96. He returned for the final game this season when it was a do or die win; they lost and have been relegated.

Werder hold the record for the most seasons played in the Bundesliga and are third in the all time Bundesliga table, behind Bayern and Dortmund.

They say he is currently Interim coach but the club could do a lot worse than making it permanent for a push at an immediate return. I wish them well.

 

 

 

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Used to love going to the Weserstadion 2001 through to 2005 when I lived and worked in Bremen, walking from Paddys Pit in the town, up beside the river, great atmosphere, loved the huge pile of empty beer bottles outside the stadium when you were entering! Abusing Bayern players who stayed in the hotel I lived in, and the shock on Owen Hargreaves face when he heard a few English voices giving him dogs abuse when he got close to where we were in the stadium :laugh:, good times. I'm afraid Bremen as a club need a complete structural overhaul now, much like City, hope they return to the top flight soon but I fear the worst for them tbh

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I always used to like werder because they used to have Wynton Rufer play for them who is probably the best New Zealand player ever...not that I am from New Zealand, I just remember a picture of rufer in the ladybird 1982 World Cup preview book and his name stuck with me ever since.

Good striker alongside Alloffs from memory 

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1 hour ago, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Smashing post. 

Werder Bremen are one of those teams who've always been there or there abouts. With them getting relegated it would be the equivalent of Arsenal or Chelsea I suppose getting relegated. 

Pizarro, Klose and Ozil amongst over the last decade or so, to relegation. Yikes! 

Wonder if they sink and rebuild like Leeds or stay down for 1 and comeback with aplomb...

 

Chelsea have not always been there or thereabouts. and I believe have been outside the top flight in my lifetime. It would probably be more like Everton being relegated 

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6 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Its that bad Hats? How so? You have kept quite close to their management down the years to know they have lost their way?

They have been down the promote from within for many years and have stagnated somewhat, they haven't gone the Ashton way, they've just slowly slipped away since Schaaf stepped away from Head Coach and of course their best players being sold all the time, so many parallels and like City they need a fresh approach, new management and coaches

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12 hours ago, MC RISK77 said:

I always used to like werder because they used to have Wynton Rufer play for them who is probably the best New Zealand player ever...not that I am from New Zealand, I just remember a picture of rufer in the ladybird 1982 World Cup preview book and his name stuck with me ever since.

Good striker alongside Alloffs from memory 

Here you go!!!20210526_180255.thumb.jpg.67943fb8bbed3a376ca10510076f62b8.jpg

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6 minutes ago, MC RISK77 said:

Wow thank you that is exactly how o remember it...brought a tear to my eye as that was the book alongside friends in playground that got me into football.

would you be willing to sell this book?

What book is that from, because I had it to…it’s the exact vision I have whenever anyone mentions Rufer.

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13 minutes ago, MC RISK77 said:

Wow thank you that is exactly how o remember it...brought a tear to my eye as that was the book alongside friends in playground that got me into football.

would you be willing to sell this book?

I know exactly where you're coming from as after a chat about World Cups with a friend and me talking about having this book at the time he tracked down a copy and got it for my 50th so I don't want to sell. However, I believe it was from EBay so worth a look there.

 

9 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

What book is that from, because I had it to…it’s the exact vision I have whenever anyone mentions Rufer.

1446432497_Screenshot_20210526-211942_SamsungInternet.thumb.jpg.5afa10a40d537af431aab677eb1c2771.jpg

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12 minutes ago, Genghis Khan's pants said:

I know exactly where you're coming from as after a chat about World Cups with a friend and me talking about having this book at the time he tracked down a copy and got it for my 50th so I don't want to sell. However, I believe it was from EBay so worth a look there.

 

1446432497_Screenshot_20210526-211942_SamsungInternet.thumb.jpg.5afa10a40d537af431aab677eb1c2771.jpg

Crikey….yep, brings back memories 

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16 hours ago, city1983 said:

Chelsea have not always been there or thereabouts. and I believe have been outside the top flight in my lifetime. It would probably be more like Everton being relegated 

Or Arsenal as Ralph suggested.. one longest serving club to another.

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5 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Hamburg another big club, have hit hard times too- follow German football periodically and they failed to get Promotion again, still stuck in the 2nd tier.

I do remember Werder Bremen in CL in mid-late 2000's, quite a good side.

The Nord Derby is back on next season as a result .. Werder v Hamburg; always a frosty affair.

I think both will be up the top. Way too strong for most teams in that division. Both simply need a German Nigel Pearson now. 

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Shocking to see both them and Schalke go down in the same season. I’ve always been a big fan of the Bundesliga but i feel the quality and competitiveness has regressed over recent years, Bayern winning yet another title and it’s all becoming  very stale and predictable in Germany.
It sort of really highlights how good the Premier league is at the moment, still hugely competitive at the top end and strength and depth like no other league in the world IMO.

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On 27/05/2021 at 00:14, havanatopia said:

The Nord Derby is back on next season as a result .. Werder v Hamburg; always a frosty affair.

I think both will be up the top. Way too strong for most teams in that division. Both simply need a German Nigel Pearson now. 

Didn't know it was a derby! Definitely will look to tune in, or record it on BT Sport...they show some Bundesliga II games I think, should be good.

17 hours ago, bris red said:

Shocking to see both them and Schalke go down in the same season. I’ve always been a big fan of the Bundesliga but i feel the quality and competitiveness has regressed over recent years, Bayern winning yet another title and it’s all becoming  very stale and predictable in Germany.
It sort of really highlights how good the Premier league is at the moment, still hugely competitive at the top end and strength and depth like no other league in the world IMO.

Don't think it's as bad as you say. Leipzig were semi finalists last year albeit were bested by Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund were strong in Europe narrowly losing to Man City in the last 8- Bayern winning 9 in a row isn't good of course, and another big problem there is Bayern picking off quite a few of their rivals, be it players or now managers- Nagelsmann from Leipzig is heading there. Wonder if he'll take any of Leipzig's better performers with him. Look at Borussia Dortmund and their young talent though- a potential front 3 if they could keep them together for a few years of Sancho-Haaland-Bellingham, that could be amazing. Shouldn't have sacked Tuchel IMO.

Could be argued a different way too, the fact that clubs of a significant size are nonetheless in danger of and indeed suffering relegation. Eintracht Frankfurt also reached semi finals of Europa League as recently as 2018/19, taking Chelsea to pens- think they have some quite good players/are quite watchable too. CL qualifiers such as Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen didn't make the top 5 even- that shows a certain competitiveness in that if your standards dip a bit...

Edited by Mr Popodopolous
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Werner Bremen beat my swedish team Brage in Uefa cup long time ago. Rudi Völker was their big star. HSV and Bremen now in 2 Bundesliga. Holstein Kiel win vs FC Köln 1-0 away, they can be in Bundesliga for the first time. It was in Kiel I saw my first game with City. Holstein Kiel- Bristol City 0-2 Chris Garland scored both. It was in july 1970. Was a young boy then,  Fingers crossed for Holstein.

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