Werder’s press director Tino Polster is once again giving insight into the world of Werder Bremen during their training camp on Norderney and publishing his findings in his personal daily dairy on WERDER.DE. There he comments on the most recent happenings amongst the Green-Whites, gives detailed information and tells the odd anecdote from the team and trainer Thomas Schaaf.
Monday, 14.07.2008, 5:30pm – Golf Hotel Norderney
“It’s as if we’d never left the place!” Captain ‘Baumi’s’ facial expression could only be described as bitter-sweet as he agreed with my comment. He’s one of the Werder players who has been here on the island most often when we travelled to the Golf Hotel for the training camp. There, as regular visitors, we were again heartily greeted by the Hasbargen family. There, as always, was the most senior boss Gerda Hasbargen, who at 80 years of age sees to things as ever and Janine is there on reception again – just as it always is.
I have to admit, I like Norderney, in spite of the teasing from Tim Wiese on our arrival: “You’re on holiday, you surly like to come back here again and again.” For Tim Wiese, who was also spotted on Timmendorf Beach this summer, this place only seems like a horror story because Norderney spells the toughest week of the season for the players.
The weather here has often been equally testing, but so far it’s been dry, if a tad windy. The journey over from Norddeich was smooth yet entertaining at the same time - the crazy surfboarders Bernd Flessner and Peter Fritz, Werder member and island publican, saw to that. Peter came to greet us with a giant Werder flag on his new speed-boat and Bernd, Germany’s best windsurfer, zipped around on his board.
The first training session is due to begin at 6pm on the facilities of ‘Sportplatz an der Mühle’. The fully renewed surface is still in ‘Virgin-Status’ explained training camp organiser Rudi König at 4pm coffee at the hotel. Even the players from TuS Norderney, who won promotion last season, have not been allowed to test the pitch. I’m interested in finding out if Rudi hasn’t been telling us some old sailors tales with that one.