BERLIN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Werder Bremen has appointed Daniel Thioune as its new head coach as the Bundesliga club seeks to stabilise its season on Wednesday.
Thioune replaces Horst Steffen, who was sacked on February 1 after a run of poor results deepened Bremen's relegation concerns. The club sits near the bottom of the table, on 19 points and only one clear of the relegation play-off spot, currently occupied by Mainz 05. Werder did not disclose the length of Thioune's contract.
"We had very good talks with Daniel," said Werder managing director of football Clemens Fritz. "His idea of football, his personality and his approach to our current sporting situation were decisive for the decision. We are convinced that we will manage the turnaround with him."
The 51-year-old emerged as Bremen's preferred candidate after the club explored several alternatives. Former Mainz head coaches Bo Henriksen and Bo Svensson were both considered but declined approaches, paving the way for Thioune's appointment.
A native of Lower Saxony, Thioune brings considerable experience from German professional football. He coached Hamburg during the 2020/21 season and most recently spent more than three years in charge of Fortuna Dusseldorf. During the 2023/24 season, he led Dusseldorf to the brink of promotion to the Bundesliga, only for the club to miss out dramatically in the play-off despite a convincing 3-0 first-leg victory away at Bochum.
Thioune's spell in Dusseldorf ended last October, less than a year after he had signed a contract extension through 2028. Earlier in his coaching career, Thioune spent nearly three years and over 200 matches in charge at Osnabruck.
"I am very much looking forward to working with the team," Thioune said. "I am convinced that we will be able to work successfully together and achieve the club's objectives. After the very good talks with those in charge, it quickly became clear to me that I wanted to go to Werder."
Thioune will take charge of his first training session on Wednesday and is set to make his Bundesliga debut away at Freiburg on Saturday. ■
