Werder Bremen have appointed Daniel Thioune as head coach following Horst Steffen’s dismissal on Sunday. Steffen was sacked because a ten-match winless streak left the four-time German champions sitting merely one point above the relegation zone. While the deal’s length remains undisclosed, media reports suggest Thioune’s future depends largely on securing Bundesliga survival.
The 51-year-old, who became Germany’s first German-born Black professional manager in 2017, lacks top-flight experience but previously guided Fortuna Düsseldorf to the promotion playoffs, narrowly losing the tie to Bochum. He also coached Bremen’s rivals Hamburg but assured supporters of his connection, recalling his Senegalese father’s passion for the club’s 2004 double-winning season.
Thioune, a former coaching classmate of Julian Nagelsmann, led his first training session Wednesday. He admitted he cannot instantly correct three months of poor results but demanded immediate energy. He expressed strong conviction that they will succeed in achieving the historic club's vital goals.