Bremen sign Horst Steffen as new coach
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
Werder Bremen have signed Horst Steffen as their new coach, the Bundesliga club said in a statement on Thursday.
Steffen will replace Ole Werner, who parted ways with Bremen after opting not to sign a new deal amid frictions with the board.
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"Horst's expertise and personality impressed us during our conversations. He's done some incredible work at Elversberg over the last seven years. Horst plays an attacking and attractive brand of football and leads a team extremely well," managing director of professional football Clemens Fritz said.
This season, Steffen guided tiny Elversberg to third in the second tier with a vibrant brand of attacking football. They narrowly missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga when they conceded in stoppage time in the play-off with Heidenheim on Monday.
"The fact that Werder got in touch with me was first of all recognition for myself and my work," Steffen said.
Bremen finished eighth in the Bundesliga season just finished.
Details of the contract were not disclosed, but according to media reports, the coach signed a deal until 2028 and Elversberg are to receive compensation between €300,000 ($340,590) and €350,000.
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