Werder Bremen’s chief Fritz admits Boniface move ‘a miscalculation’

Clemens Fritz has acknowledged that Victor Boniface’s loan spell at Werder Bremen has not gone according to plan, describing the move as a “miscalculation.”

Boniface joined Bremen on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen but struggled to make an impact, failing to score in 11 appearances amid fitness and conditioning concerns.

The situation worsened when the striker required surgery for cartilage damage in his knee, sidelining him for an extended period and disrupting the club’s attacking plans.

Fritz, the chief personnel executive at the club admitted the club had anticipated limited availability but underestimated the overall impact.

“Victor wouldn’t play 34 games, we knew that… from today’s point of view, this was a miscalculation,” he said.

Communication errors and internal challenges

Beyond performance issues, Fritz pointed to internal missteps in handling the situation, particularly around communication.

“There was an internal misunderstanding… and we made mistakes in communication to the outside world,” he added.

He also pushed back against personal criticism directed at individuals within the club, stressing that scrutiny should remain professional.

“At the factual level, everything about criticism is okay. But it should never be personal.”

Return timeline offers slight optimism

Despite the setbacks, Boniface’s recovery is progressing ahead of schedule, with a potential return to action before the end of April now under consideration.

However, the broader context remains challenging. Bremen sit just above the relegation zone with six matches remaining, leaving little margin for error.