Werder Bremen Werder Bremen Founded back in 1899, Werder has managed to both be total crap and scale the heights of German soccer. They won the championship in 1965, 1988 and 1993, and also the Euro Cup-Winners Cup in 1992. For a team with limited resources, a very fine achievement indeed.
Back in 1899, 16 schoolboys got together and founded FV Bremen to play soccer. In 1920, they started adding other sports. Initially the success was limited to city competitions, but by the 1930s they were competitive in regional Gauliga matches as well. With WWII, all sporting was eventually stopped, and it wasn't until after the war that the slow climb back started. In 1961, the club solidified it's reputation as the No.2 in the north (behind HSV), by winning the DFB Cup for the first time. As a charter member of the Bundesliga, Werder played a strong role early on, and then surprised everyone by winning the title in 1965. A runner up title in 1968 however was the last gasp, and things started downhill. Eventually it led to relegation.
Nevertheless, under coach Otto Rehagel, Werder began the climb back to the top of the table. The 1980s were good years for Werder. New championship titles, Cup wins and finally a European Cupwinners cup (1991 with 2-0 over AS Monaco) brought more honor to the Weser. The constant was coach Rehhagel, but several outstanding players filled the ranks: Austrian international Bruno Pezzey, midfielder Miroslav Votava, forwards vertean Manfred Burgsmüller, Frank Neubarth, Rudi Völler, Karl-Heinz Riedle. By the 2nd title in 93, most had been replaced, with new stars, e.g. another Austrian, Andreas Herzog, and forward Marco Bode.
Werder never really got off the ground in 98-99, disappointing their fans, who expected much more. The next season was a bit better, with an exciting attacking team. However the squad seemed to run out of gas at the end of the season. They were clearly beaten by Bayern in the Cup final, but qualified for the UEFA with Bayern taking the title.
2003 started off decently, but little did Werder fans realize that they would finish their greatest season ever. They secured the title by beating Bayern away, and ended up taking the double by knocking off upstart Aachen in the DFB-Pokal final. Although many of the key players left the club for more lucrative contracts elsewhere, Werder's 2003-04 season certainly was one to remember.
Although it was no surprise that Werder was unable to defend the title, they did finish a respectable 3rd in 2005. It seems like every 10 years or so Werder put together a good series, so they should be strong for the next few seasons.
2009 proved to be a trying year for Werder fans, a true season of ups and downs. Basically, in the Bundesliga the team stunk, and yet they had one of their best results ever, a crunching 5-2 away win at Bayern München. But inconsistency plagued the squad, and they would follow up good results with brain farts. A solid Champions League performance was hurt by a difficult group draw, but in the subsequent UEFA Cup, Werder entered the final as a slight favorite. However, with playmaker Diego suspended, the team was bereft of ideas and lost to Shakthor Donetzk 1-2 in overtime. But Werder would not end the topsy-turvy season without silverware: they ended up winning the DFB Cup for the 6th time.
| Fullname | Sport-Verein Werder Bremen von 1899 e.V.
| City |
Bremen (Hansastadt Bremen). Pop:
546,000 (2002).
| Address |
Am Weserstadion 7, 28205 Bremen. | Phone: (0421) 434500 Fax: (0421) 493555 Colors |
Currently green jersey with orange sleeves, white shorts.
Traditionally all white with green trim. Road is green shirt, white
shorts.
| Stadium |
Weserstadion. Capacity: 35,282 (30,000 seats) | Built in 1926, originally belonged to ATSB Bremen, and was known as the ATSB Kampfbahn. When they could no longer afford the debt, an independant leasing company was formed, and the first tenant was Werder, which until then had played at the H¨ckelriede. In 1934, the city took over administration. Tickets |
Multi-tiered pricing, depending on the opponent. Given the relatively
small stadium, tickets will be hard to come by. For "crappy" teams, prices
range from a low of 9.50 Euros to 57 Euros. The same range for "top" clubs
is 12.50 euros to 108 euros. (2003/04)
| Supporters |
Strong suport in the north. Werder usually averages 30,000 or more fans
per home game.
| Friends |
|
Foes |
Regional rivals Hamburger SV are the biggest.
| Heroes |
Over 30 German internationals, although most are from the last 20 years. Defender Horst Höttges played
from the mid-60s-70s, with 66 caps and 420 Bundesliga matches. Many of the other favorites had careers elsewhere,
e.g. Mario Basler, KarlHeinz Riedle and Rudi Völler | Zeroes |
| Beer |
Becks is Bremen's world famous brew. Also Kräsen, an
unfiltered Pils by Becks.
|
Pub Grub |
| The Net |
Official site at
www.Werder-online.de , and is quite complete. There is an
English and Chinese(!) version. Also interesting is that the
chess division has a
link on the page.
| |
2013-14 (I) Bundesliga 12th 2012-13 (I) Bundesliga 14th 2011-12 (I) Bundesliga 9th 2010-11 (I) Bundesliga 13th 2009-10 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 2008-09 (I) Bundesliga 10th UEFA Cup finalist, DFB Cup Winner 2007-08 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 2006-07 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 2005-06 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 2004-05 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 2003-04 (I) Bundesliga 1st CHAMPION, DFB Cup Winner 2002-03 (I) Bundesliga 6th 2001-02 (I) Bundesliga 6th 2000-01 (I) Bundesliga 7th 1999-00 (I) Bundesliga 9th DFB Cup runner up 1998-99 (I) Bundesliga 13th 1997-98 (I) Bundesliga 13th DFB Cup Winner 1996-97 (I) Bundesliga 8th 1995-96 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1994-95 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 1993-94 (I) Bundesliga 8th DFB Cup Winner 1992-93 (I) Bundesliga 1st CHAMPION 1991-92 (I) Bundesliga 9th 1990-91 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 1989-90 (I) Bundesliga 7th 1988-89 (I) Bundesliga 3rd 1987-88 (I) Bundesliga 1st CHAMPION 1986-87 (I) Bundesliga 5th 1985-86 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 1984-85 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 1983-84 (I) Bundesliga 5th 1982-83 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 1981-82 (I) Bundesliga 5th 1980-81 (I) 2.B-liga Nord 1st 1979-80 (I) Bundesliga 17th 1978-79 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1977-78 (I) Bundesliga 15th 1976-77 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1975-76 (I) Bundesliga 13th 1974-75 (I) Bundesliga 15th 1973-74 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1972-73 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1971-72 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1970-71 (I) Bundesliga 10th 1969-70 (I) Bundesliga 11th 1967-68 (I) Bundesliga 2nd 1966-67 (I) Bundesliga 16th 1965-66 (I) Bundesliga 4th 1964-65 (I) Bundesliga 1st CHAMPION 1963-64 (I) Bundesliga 10th 1947-63 (I) Oberliga Nord
(c) Abseits Guide to Germany : www.abseits-soccer.com