The body isn't even cold yet and our thoughts turn to who gets the ax and where the next bus-load of fresh meat is coming from. I am so excite to watch a complete restructure of Werder I am willing to plagiarise Eisenfuss Eielts' hallowed words! With all due respect, here is how Mr.E's transfer threads begin:Everyone in the North of Germany likes 'schnacken und klönen' (to talk and discuss about what's up) and with the green whites staying in the BL and more and more rumors coming up I think it is about time for this thread.
Up until today we have seen two good, safe signings: Ozzi Yidrim runs like a deer and has some Matrix-like dribbles. I like what I saw and that kid MUST start all games next season. Nils Peterson...I'm going to change the record here. Werder had no choice but to sign him and it was the obvious "right" thing to do . We have our CF of the future and I support him. Why are these two signings so important? I realize the game is an emotional investment for all of us with he upheaval lately (and more to come) and the new power must rule with Jungian hand (like der Samtschuh auf dem Eisenfuß ). This goes a long way to restoring confidence that the "old way " is dead. I will see what I can do about posting a depth chart here in the coming weeks
This is who I feel are capable to start next season: Aleksandar Ignjovski, Nils Petersen, Niclas Füllkrug, Lukas Schmitz, Sokratis, Aaron Hunt, Assani Lukimya, Clemens Fritz, Zlatko Junuzovic, Theodor Gebre Selassie, Sebastian Prödl. And that is just 11, never mind a bench whith Iggy, Schmitz, Selassie and Fritz rotating in and out of and Proedl subbing too. That means the 11 are really occupying 8 starting spots. My wishlist is: Bargfrede, Ekici, Elia benched or out. In is a GK, a DM/CM to rotate or play beside Juno, an attacking playmaker in the middle up high and/or on the left. These three should be seasoned skilled players paid for with Allofs 25M€ magic, rainy-day fund. *Everyone here knows how I feel about A Hunts skills so a longer term move to replace him would be a secondary wish for mealthough I realise he does score and would likely perform better with talented teammates. That would be a good place to start off, imho; three major signings would prove to me that good things are going in the right direction.
Boah, Winni, that picture ruined my day. To get back to topic, these are the top rumors at transfermarkt.de: Taxiarchis Fountas, 17 years old right winger from AEK Athens (who went bancrupt), Greek U21 player Markus Suttner, 26 years old left defender from Austria Vienna, Austrian NT player Julian Schuster, 28 years old defensive midfielder from SC Freiburg Mariusz Stepinski, 18 years old central striker from Widzew Lodz Marius Alexe, 23 years old left winger from Dinamo Bucuresti, Romanian NT player Christoph Kramer, 22 years old defensive midfielder from VfL Bochum (transfer rights at Leverkusen) Marcelo, 26 years old center back from PSV Eindhoven Well, from the list I expect at most one player to join, but the positions are interesting. Wingers, defensive midfielders and center backs, these are the positions where we have add players if Dutt wants to switch from Schaafs midfield rhomb to a wing counter attack style system like 4-2-3-1 (played by both BVB and Bayern yesterday) or 4-1-4-1.
...I like a good chuckle but I just found out moments ago Sokratis, our 2nd year cb, has left for BvB! I already posted my thoughts in the General thread but didn't make mention of the 9.5 M Euros unconfirmed fee. Now I understand the Marcelo interest.
Taxiarchis Fountas, 17 years old right winger from AEK Athens, Greek U21 playerhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/taxiarchis-fountas/profil/spieler_192409.html Markus Suttner, 26 years old left defender from Austria Vienna, Austrian NT playerhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/markus-suttner/profil/spieler_31514.html Julian Schuster, 28 years old defensive midfielder from SC Freiburghttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/julian-schuster/profil/spieler_29865.html Mariusz Stepinski, 18 years old central striker from Widzew Lodzhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/mariusz-stepinski/profil/spieler_210363.html Marius Alexe, 23 years old left winger from Dinamo Bucuresti, Romanian NT playerhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/marius-alexe/profil/spieler_48678.html Christoph Kramer, 22 years old defensive midfielder from VfL Bochumhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/christoph-kramer/profil/spieler_82097.html Marcelo, 26 years old center back from PSV Eindhovenhttp://www.transfermarkt.com/en/marcelo/profil/spieler_52920.html
Dutt's signing is confirmed now. The DFB, German FA, quit his contract, so he could sign a new one at Werder, contract length until 2016. werder.de
Kreiszeitung (kicker quoted their article) connects some new names with Werder: Fallou Diagne, center back from SC Freiburg;Abdul Rahman Baba, left back from Fürth and offensive midfielder Alexandr Tonev from Lech Poznan (Poland). And the newspaper also names Julian Schuster.
Wow, we have a new signing and there were no public rumors about it. It is SC Freiburg veteran Cedric Makiadi (29). The Kongolese NT player is a central midfielder, played last season as DM and made 3 goals and 2 assists in 29 matches. That are really no super stats, but at least he knows the Freiburg system Dutt probably wants to introduce (4-2-3-1).
Here are some goals by Makiadi (from the time he played as forward): Btw: Robin Dutt educated him at Freiburg to play as central/defensive midfielder, but Cedric, we don't mind goals.
3 goals, thats still 300% better than what Philip B. had to offer! Hey Poppa, a while back (after the Astro/Elia public nuisance) someone stated Astro would not be back next season. Am I wrong or is there truth to this?
Elias and Arnautovics ban ended with the end of the season. But I really hope Arnautovic gets sold this transfer break. I can't stand this clown and his escapades. I don't except a high transfer fee, he should only leave the club.
Thomas Eichin denied today an interest in loaning Moritz Leitner from Dortmund, but stated that instead priority has the signing of a new central defender and a striker. The central defender interest is a no-brainer with Sokratis departure, but I am surprised he named a striker and no De Bruyne replacement.
We've been linked with Leitner rather a lot. It's one of the only rumours that had me really, really excited. Though, at this point, I would prefer the stability that comes with purchasing players outright.
No new player, but interesting news. Damir Buric becomes Dutts assistent. That is no real surprise since Buric assisted Dutt already in Freiburg and Leverkusen. On the Werder homepage there is an interview with him: http://www.werder.de/de/profis/news/44660.php Another news hasn't been published by Werder yet and it is more surprising. Kreiszeitung and kicker report that Thorsten Frings returns to Werder and assists Viktor Skripnik to train the reserve. Frings recently ended his career at Toronto due to injuries, but now 3 months laters he returns to Werder and in parallel he attends courses at the University of Applied Science in Collogne, the address to become a professional coach in Germany). Good luck "Lutscher", you assists my favorite coach at Werders youth department currently.
Zorc: "De Bruyne wants only us" Borussia Sports Director Michael Zorc has toldKicker about Chelsea 21 year old attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, until now on loan at Werder Bremen: "De Bruyne only wants to join Dortmund".
Ekici likely to stay After Werder Bremen owners replaced former trainer Thomas Schaaf with Robin Dutt, Turkish international offensive midfielder Mehmet Ekici (23) is likely to stay, since once Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen head coach is a great appraiser of his.
Only Franck Ribery created more clear cut goal scoring chances in the Bundesliga this season than Kevin De Bruyne, do you know that?
My summer wishlist is a reliable leftback, a new centre-back, and a natural number-10. Ekici is the closest we have, and that is unnerving. I expect Dutt to play a 4-2-3-1, which means we have too many wingers already. Ekici-Hunt-Juno? Elia-Ekici-Arno? Very curious what our offensive midfield will look like. (Hopefully Makiadi and Ignjovski start in defensive roles. Fritz can play this position as a sub. (Also worth noting: Fritz is probably too old or just not good enough anymore to start. No one wants to admit this, but it's something that needs to be addressed.)) A source of excitement for next season: we will no longer be crippled by Schaaf's favouritism. We can (hopefully) rely on our best players playing.
How is it that Mehmet is "likely to stay" when no one would like him to stay? I would have said "unfortunately to stay" He is still young so if he works hard he might play more games and improve. I don't want him back if he gives the same efort as last season, it was pathetic...except that one game I think he scored two goals or scored one and nearly a second?