Status: 05.09.2021 2:35 p.m.
Two Corona seasons and relegation to the Bundesliga cost the second division soccer club Werder Bremen almost 33 million euros. At the general meeting on Sunday, at which a new board of directors is elected, the club management admitted mistakes.
In the first pandemic season 2019/2020, the Bremer generated a record minus of 23.8 million euros. For the relegation season 2020/2021 there is a minus of 8.8 million euros in the books of the green-whites. The drastic minus was buffered by a medium-sized bond, which flushed 18 million euros into the clammy coffers of the Hanseatic people.
Klaus Filbry, chairman of the management board, admitted his own mistakes in front of around 1,000 voting members in the Weserstadion. “Two years ago we decided to take a sporting venture, but in retrospect it was a wrong decision,” said Filbry, who was at least a little optimistic about the future: “The current season will be financed if we can allow more spectators again soon . “
“As Werder Bremen we had Corona and were in the intensive care unit. We have now been able to leave it. We are economically stable again.”
Klaus Filbry
Nevertheless, the club will have to struggle with the consequences of the pandemic for a long time, said Filbry. After all, the club has to repay funds from a state guarantee and a medium-sized company bond in the amount of around 40 million euros in the coming years.
Baumann: “We wanted too much”
Sports director Frank Baumann also admitted misjudgments. “We wanted too much and were too ambitious. Many of our new signings didn’t take off, and hardly any new player became a regular straight away,” said the former national player self-critically. Nevertheless, the descent was unnecessary.
Hess-Grunewald complains about a lack of unity
Club president Hubertus Hess-Grunewald opened the meeting in the morning with admonishing words. “We are in a phase in which our club is on the lookout. The much-quoted unity has been lost,” said the 60-year-old, who by virtue of this office belongs to the management of Werder KG. At this time, the team council of the second division professionals including coach Markus Anfang was also present. After 75 minutes, the players left the Weser Stadium – accompanied by shy applause from the Werder members.
Election to the supervisory board awaited with great anticipation
The outgoing chairman of the supervisory board, Marco Bode, described the current second class of the North Germans as a “terrible turning point.” For personal reasons, the European champion from 1996, like his colleagues, did not run again for a position on the control committee. Above all, the election of the new supervisory board is the focus of the general meeting. A total of seven candidates apply for the four vacant positions on the control committee. The future of the criticized sports director Frank Baumann will also depend on its composition.
“Werder has to be ready for renewal. But Werder also has to stay Werder when it comes to their values and attitudes. Nobody in my life will be able to convince me that the Werder family could be something bad.”
Marco Bode
Baumann doesn’t want to “run away”
“I face this criticism and also take on responsibility. Because at Werder I also have a share in the first relegation after 41 years,” said Baumann on Sunday. “For me, it means taking responsibility, but not running away, but tackling it with your head and trying to steer the club back into a positive future.”
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