Steffen would have left Elversberg for Bremen even if promoted
Elversberg coach Horst Steffen gestures on the touchline during the German Bundesliga Relegation First leg soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg at Voith-Arena. Elversberg coach Horst Steffen is close to be appointed Werder Bremen boss, the Deichstube portal said on Wednesday. Tom Weller/dpa
New Werder Bremen coach Horst Steffen says he would have taken up the job even if his former Elversberg team had gained promotion to the Bundesliga.
The 56-year-old watched his modest second-tier side from Saarland lose the Bundesliga play-off in stoppage time to Heidenheim last week.
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He quickly joined Bremen, who parted company with Ole Werner despite an eighth-place finish in the German top flight following disagreements over the future.
"Well, if Werder calls, the idea of taking on Werder is already very strong," the 56-year-old Steffen said during his first press conference in Bremen on Monday.
"I would have chosen Werder anyway, even if that might feel strange for the people in Saarland."
Steffen, whose Elversberg side won plaudits for their dynamic attacking play, has coached at most levels of the game but never in the Bundesliga.
"I have coached in many leagues, almost everything in Germany. U17, U19, and then every league from the regional league upwards," he said, before adding that his destiny was "to be in the Bundesliga."
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"When Werder Bremen makes an enquiry, there's no long deliberation or hesitation. It's just clear: 'OK, you can do this, you want to do this'."
Steffen, who was at Elversberg since 2018 and masterminded two promotions, was a Bundesliga player for Uerdingen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Duisburg.
Reports say he has signed until 2028 for Bremen, who had to pay over €300,000 ($345,000) in compensation to Elversberg. Bremen, the third best German side of all time statistically, have not made the details public.
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