Werder Bremen sporting director Frank Baumann has decided to leave the club at the end of this season, the club announced on Wednesday.
The 48-year-old has informed the chairman of the supervisory board, Dr. Hubertus Hess-Grunewald, of his decision to not extend his contract with Werder Bremen which will expire in the summer of 2024.
“The decision was not easy for me, because Werder has been much more than an employer for me for many years,” said Baumann.
“On the one hand, the job as managing director is very challenging and exhausting. Against this background, I had set myself the goal of taking a break of at least a year by the time I was 50 at the latest.
“On the other hand, in my opinion, after such a long time, it is also good for a club to make a change in the position in order to allow new impulses and ideas.”
Baumann has been a part of Werder Bremen ever since 1999 when he signed as a player from FC Nürnberg on a free transfer. As a captain he won the Bundesliga with Bremen in 2004 and the DFB Pokal in 2004 and 2009. He has been sporting director of Werder Bremen since 2016.
Clemens Fritz has been lined up as a possible successor for Baumann and Hess-Grunewald has already confirmed that he is one of the candidates to put forward for this role.
Before Baumann leaves his role in 2024, he still has work to do in order to turn Werder Bremen’s season around as they have had an underwhelming season so far and further strengthening the squad may be required during the January transfer window.
GGFN | Matthew Gritton
