logo
Soccer-Werner appointed Leipzig coach

Soccer-Werner appointed Leipzig coach

The Star5 days ago

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Quarter Final - Arminia Bielefeld v Werder Bremen - Bielefelder Alm, Bielefelder, Germany - February 25, 2025 Werder Bremen coach Ole Werner reacts REUTERS/Teresa. Kroeger
(Reuters) -RB Leipzig have appointed Ole Werner as their new head coach with a contract until 2027, the Bundesliga club announced on Tuesday.
The appointment ends Leipzig's months-long search for a permanent replacement after parting ways with Marco Rose in March. Interim coach Zsolt Low took the reins for the remainder of the campaign that ended in a disappointing seventh-placed league finish.
Werner, 37, who had recently declined to extend his contract at fellow Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, will coach a Leipzig side who will compete only in domestic competitions next season after failing to secure European qualification for the first time since 2016.
"Ole is a young, ambitious and extremely ambitious head coach who will take the next step in his development with us," said Leipzig managing director Marcel Schafer in a statement.
"RB Leipzig stands for a bold, attacking style of play with a clear identity, as well as professional and ambitious thinking," Werner said.
"The club has big goals and high expectations and this is exactly the kind of environment that convinced me and one to which I want to contribute."
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Toby Davis)

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

South American clubs still lack killer instinct, say FIFA experts
South American clubs still lack killer instinct, say FIFA experts

New Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

South American clubs still lack killer instinct, say FIFA experts

MIAMI: The gulf between South American and European teams may not be as wide as expected at the Club World Cup, but a clear gap still exists in their efficiency in front of goal, according to FIFA technical experts. Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, and Juergen Klinsmann, former Germany and U.S. national team coach, were speaking at a round table on Saturday as the tournament enters its knockout phase. "At the start of the competition, many opponents seemed to fear playing against the European teams," Wenger said. "But as things progressed - especially the Brazilians - they began to realise it might not be so different after all." Flamengo and Botafogo beat European teams during the group phase of the 32-team competition, with the latter's 1-0 victory over European champions Paris St Germain standing out. Wenger said growing belief, especially among Brazilian sides, has shifted the dynamic heading into the last 16. "Maybe it's also because they've gained the confidence to do it. That shift in mindset could mean we'll see a different Brazil in the knockout stage than we saw in the group phase," he added. The Frenchman highlighted the influence of Filipe Luis, whose Flamengo side showed what Wenger called the most European tactical profile among South American sides at the tournament. "Filipe has ... played in Europe, and you can see that in the way his team approaches the game," Wenger said. GAP CLOSING Wenger and Klinsmann said South American clubs were quickly closing the gap in infrastructure and preparation. "When we visited the teams, we saw delegations of up to 100 people - support staff, analysts, advisors," Wenger said. "With squads of 23 to 35 players, these clubs are now fully professional in every department. That level of preparation allows teams to learn quickly." The key difference, however, remains in execution. "In the final third, European clubs are simply more clinical," Wenger said. Klinsmann agreed, saying the real divide lies in mentality. "Experience is also a big part of quality," he said. "When is a club like Pachuca or Monterrey (of Mexico) playing in a tournament like this?" Drawing on his time as U.S. national coach, Klinsmann stressed the importance of testing players outside their comfort zones. "That's why I always said, 'Get us into Copa America. Get us into Europe'. That's the kind of competition that develops a winning mentality," he said. "If this tournament were held again next year, Pachuca would be a different team - more confident, more refined. "But they have to be more clinical. When you're in the box, it's your head that makes the decision, not just your feet. And that's the difference." With the round of 16 underway on Saturday, analysts said the knockout stages would offer a clearer picture of how much ground South American teams have made up, tactically and psychologically. "We might see very different attitudes now," Wenger said.

Wenger vows improved pitch quality for 2026 World Cup in US
Wenger vows improved pitch quality for 2026 World Cup in US

The Sun

time7 hours ago

  • The Sun

Wenger vows improved pitch quality for 2026 World Cup in US

FIFA's Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged concerns over the quality of pitches during the Club World Cup in the US but assured improvements for the 2026 World Cup. The dry, uneven surfaces have drawn criticism from European teams, with Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique comparing the ball's bounce to 'a rabbit.' Wenger, who inspected the Orlando pitch, admitted it fell short of European standards. 'It's not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year,' he said. Enrique highlighted the challenges of natural grass laid over artificial turf, requiring manual watering and disrupting gameplay. FIFA faces pressure to upgrade both stadium and training pitches ahead of the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The governing body aims to deliver world-class facilities to match the event's prestige. Paris St-Germain coach Luis Enrique raised the issue early in the expanded Club World Cup tournament. 'The ball bounces like a rabbit,' Luis Enrique said after his team's opening 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid. 'Today, for example, the field used to be artificial turf, and now it's natural grass laid over it, which means it has to be watered manually. It's a big problem for the way we play.' 'Fifa really needs to take this seriously. Not just the stadium fields but also the training pitches. If we're calling this the best club tournament in the world, it should have world‑class facilities. I can't imagine an NBA game played on a court full of holes.'

Soccer-Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay
Soccer-Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay

The Star

time10 hours ago

  • The Star

Soccer-Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Benfica v Chelsea - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. - June 28, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) -Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca lashed out after a two-hour weather delay disrupted his team's last-16 Club World Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday, suggesting the United States was not a suitable country for the competition - a year before it is due to host the men's World Cup. Chelsea beat Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to qualify for the quarter-finals after a game that ended four hours and 39 minutes after kicking off, following a two-hour interruption due to a storm warning. It was the sixth time that a game was stopped at the 32-club tournament because of the risk of lightning. "For me personally, it's not football," Maresca told a press conference. "I think it's a joke. It's not football. "I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition. "It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here," he added. "But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem." FIFA, which organised the tournament, was not immediately available for comment. Chelsea were 1-0 up when the players were asked to leave the pitch and play only resumed almost two hours later. "The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo," Maresca said. (Writing by Julien Pretot in Miami; Editing by Kate Mayberry)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store