Christoph Daum's return to the Bundesliga stage
Frankfurt ended the first half of the season in promising fashion with 26 points for seventh place. But the start of the second half has gone entirely wrong and Eintracht dropped into the relegation fight. Head coach Michael Skibbe would end up being sacked and replaced with the spectacular acquisition of Christoph Daum. The new coach was welcomed by nearly 2,000 spectators at the first training session on 23 March, which was even broadcast live on the Hessische Rundfunk station. "I am thrilled with how I was welcomed here in Frankfurt," said Daum. Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf didn't need many words to describe his counterpart. "I don't have to say much. Christoph has a certain level and has the knack of emotionally moving people," said Schaaf. Daum will try to inject vitality into the lifeless Frankfurt team.
Thomas Schaaf: "Eintracht will have the energy and fend themselves"
In Daum's debut in the last Bundesliga game day, Eintracht Frankfurt battled to a 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg. And the team would love to win the home premiere for the new coach against Werder. The last training sessions before the game against Werder were kept secret. "A secret training brings on an entirely different atmosphere. We can repeat things a number of times. Everyone is more concentrated. We have the chance of working on tactical measures, and if it doesn't work out so well with one player that we can work calmly with him without him feeling embarrassed," said Daum. The 13th-placed Frankfurt, who will be without suspended Patrick Ochs, hope to free up their heads within a couple days. "Christoph will not be on the pitch, just on the sidelines," said Schaaf with a slight grin. "We have to know that the team will have a lot of emotion. They will have the energy and really fend themselves," added the Werder coach. "It will be a ride on the razor's edge, a game of patience," said Daum. "I don't expect us to dominate Bremen. We just have to play with our fighting passion and with a high penchant to run. If everything works out then we can pick up three points."