"We have to step it up"

Werder's captain Clemens Fritz wants his team to step it up a gear after three consecutive defeats (photo: nph).
First Team
Tuesday, 29.09.2015 / 16:30

Under Viktor Skripnik, Tuesdays at Werder are a day of recuperation: individual training sessions, treatment and recovery exercises instead of team training...

Under Viktor Skripnik, Tuesdays at Werder are a day of recuperation: individual training sessions, treatment and recovery exercises instead of team training. Usually. This week, however, the manager has decided against the "day off". So the Werder players spent all morning putting in a shift in the stadium number 11. "We need to step it up," was captain Clemens Fritz's demand on Monday. The Green-Whites have started this today with some intensive training in preparation for Hannover.

"To have taken zero points from a busy week of three games is very frustrating. Obviously we all imagined it very differently. We didn't live up to expectations," summarised Fritz on the back of consecutive defeats against Ingolstadt, Darmstadt and Leverkusen. "It's important for us to address this as a team, but also think about it individually, and keep yourself motivated," added Fritz.

Skripnik: "A very good chat"

Viktor Skripnik's team undergoing intense fitness training on Tuesday morning

On Sunday and Monday, the much needed regrouping after last week got under way. "We had a really good chat, in which we as a manager team addressed everything that we weren't happy with and felt we need to improve on," reported Skripnik. His team were very "honest" with their feedback. "I know that all the players are unhappy with their personal performance," said the Werder boss. Now he wants to see a positive reaction to this on the pitch. "We can't just talk, we need to show something."

The manager has made it very clear what he expects of his team in this week of preparation ahead of the away game at Hannover on Saturday, 3rd October (15:30 CEST): "Stay calm, stay composed, believe in your own ability and keep working extra hard!" It will be another tough task against the team at the bottom of the league on Saturday. Not just Skripnik, but Fritz and the whole team knows this. "Hannover are an extremely dangerous team with a lot of quality - they showed that against Wolfsburg. We need 100 percent concentration, any lower percentage, and we can forget about picking up any points," said Fritz ahead of the weekend.

Fighting spirit and passion are required, but especially courage. "If we're pessimistic, we won't be able to perform on Saturday either," says Fritz who believes that the last games proved that things are not just black and white, but that there is a ‘grey zone'. "We have to remain positive despite all the defeats, be optimistic about the next games and believe in our personal ability," said the captain. In the last two trips to Hannover, the Green-Whites were behind in both games, but with belief and fight, Fritz, Junuzovic and Co. were able to turn the games around, and secure first a 1-1 draw, then a 2-1 win.

Your web browser ist outdated.
The web browser you are using is no longer supported.
Please download one of these free and up to date browsers.
Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge
Chrome Firefox Edge
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
MS Edge
Why should I use an up to date web browser?
Security
Newer web browsers provide better protection against malware, data theft and other threats to your privacy and security. Up to date browsers continuously close security holes that allow attackers to enter your computer.
New Technologies
The technologies used on modern websites are better supported by newer web browsers. This both increases functionality and improves the website layout. By benefiting from new functions and extensions you will be able to surf the web faster and easier.