- Following the public backlash, Werder's leader, Fritz, rebukes the team members
Following some criticism from Marco Friedl and Marvin Ducksch, Werder Bremen's sports director, Clemens Fritz, had a stern talk with the two footballers. Addressing them in straightforward terms, Fritz told the "Deichstube", "It's not the players' duty to voice out the need for new recruits in public."
Fritz then addressed Ducksch directly, saying, "We haven't lost any top-performer, every position is manned by two players, there's a healthy competition. However, we have players who struggle with being replaced." Ducksch had criticized coach Ole Werner after the 0:0 draw against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday for being substituted in the closing stages.
Captain Friedl also found himself on the receiving end of Fritz's words. Similarly, Friedl and Ducksch had voiced their concerns about the squad not being strengthened enough. Friedl also complained about Werner not providing enough external support when the team was struggling against Dortmund with a numerical advantage.
"Players should air their grievances internally," Fritz said. "If there's an issue, they can discuss it internally, but not publicly. The coach is always the face of the team, it's completely unacceptable for players to voice out their opinions publicly like that. We've had a frank conversation with Marco Friedl about this."
Interestingly, Werder has started the new season on a positive note with two draws and a convincing win in the cup against Energie Cottbus. Fritz finds it hard to comprehend the dissatisfaction. "I just don't get it: We put up a fantastic show against Borussia Dortmund and then create an atmosphere as if we've been handed four or five defeats. That's frustrating," Fritz said.
Fritz further emphasized his point to Marvin Ducksch, mentioning, "Regardless of your concerns about being replaced, we values every player in the team and everyone has a crucial role to play."
In response to Fritz's stern words, Marvin Ducksch acknowledged, "I understand the need to maintain team harmony and will ensure my future comments are made internally rather than publicly."
