Who is Ole Werner?

Data correct as of 29 August 2024

Ole Werner
Age: 36 (born 5 May 1988)
Club: Werder Bremen
Role: Head coach
Country: Germany

The 2024/25 season is Werner's third in charge of Bremen as a Bundesliga outfit - a campaign he began as the third longest-serving coach of the league's clubs (behind Heidenheim's Frank Schmidt and Holstein Kiel's Marcel Rapp) and also the second youngest (behind Borussia Dortmund's Nuri Şahin). 

Werner began coaching in his mid-20s with Kiel - for whom he had made two brief substitute appearances in the fifth tier and DFB Cup, before ending his playing days at TSV Kropp even deeper in the football pyramid. From humble beginnings in 2013/14 as assistant coach of the U16 team, Werner worked his way up to the first-team hot seat - initially on an interim basis in August 2016.

Two wins in two matches provided enough promise for Kiel to draft Werner in again on a temporary basis, after close to five years in charge of the reserve team, in September 2019. Six points in four games steadied the ship for the side in Bundesliga 2 at the time, and they decided to keep Werner on a permanent basis.  

A solid 11th-place finish in 2019/20 seemed a superb outcome from Werner's first full season as a coach, but the next campaign would border on spectacular. Holstein challenged for promotion to top flight, only to fall at the final hurdle via a play-off with Cologne - after a stunning DFB Cup campaign that saw them knock out Bayern Munich and lose to eventual winners Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.

After Werner's resignation early into the 2021/22 season, his track record at Kiel was certain to bring him plenty of suitors, and Werder Bremen tasked him in November 2021 with restoring their top-flight status. Werner promptly delivered at the first time of asking, despite Bremen being back in 10th when he took the reins, as he guided them to a second-placed finish and promotion.

Steering clear of any real relegation danger in Werder's first season after promotion was yet another feather in Werner's impressive cap. Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch blossomed into a deadly attacking partnership under his guidance, with the former finally making a real name for himself in the Bundesliga by becoming joint-top goalscorer in 2022/23. Ninth place at the end of 2023/24 then marked even more progression for Werner and Werder, with only goal difference seeing Heidenheim inch into European qualification ahead of his side.

Watch: Ole Werner's Werder Bremen win at Bayern Munich in 2023/24

Coaches a bit like: Christian Streich

On the surface there is nothing revolutionary or flashy about Werner's coaching style, but his clear record in taking teams up the football pyramid bears parallels with the legendary former Freiburg coach. Another element Werner has in common is limiting expectations to foster a sense of togetherness, while continuing to deliver. Werner said, for instance, with Bremen in contention for European qualifiation at the end of 2023/24 season: "I'm not a guy who dreams, but I do have every faith in my team."

Did you know?

After his relatively brief playing career, Werner turned his hand to gardening - spending seven months in the profession in Sydney, in order to finance travels in Australia and Indonesia. He told Bild: "I wasn't that keen on gardening before, but I had to find a job at short notice. I was cutting grass and hedges, digging things out. I was out in the sun a lot and they were great gardens."

What they're saying

"I grew up at Holstein Kiel. I got to watch a lot of training there from the likes of Karsten Neitzel, Tim Walter and Markus Anfang. All coaches with attacking football and aggressive pressing. I took a lot from them."  - Werner on his coaching ideas

“Ole is a young, exciting and really good coach who suits Werder well with his idea of football. He wants to join us on our path and build a young team with room to grow and develop. He was successful as a coach in Kiel, he knows the league well and as somebody from northern Germany he will find his feet quickly in Bremen.” - Frank Baumann, Werder Bremen sporting director on Werner's appointment in November 2021