BREAKING NEWS: This One's Unemployed Now!
Watch Allofs and Schaaf quitting him!
Below you'll find the link to todays presser with them. It comes in three parts and it's only available in German. Frings did not feel like taking part in this, understandably.
http://www.liga1.tv/sport/beitrag/fussball/video/frings-vertrag-wird-nicht-verlaengert-13.html
As it looks, Frings is out of a job! What's he gonna do now? Start a hobbyhorse? Maybe silk-painting? Or golf? Well, tbf, Werder did not quit him once and for all --the whole thing comes with a little twist.
They say Frings can take his coach licence with them! If he feels like becoming a coach that is. He can even take a leave to play in some phony league in the Emirates or whereevs betwixt - or - if he is a bit wiser, he may sign with Aachen for another season. (Do they want him though? Idk.).
I think Frings' own doubts about his future, as expressed around the winter break, were initially right on spot and putting an end to his career seems like the better option now. He should have known, that Werder can not act out of sentimental reasons only. And they know that Frings is not a player for the bench, ego-wise. I mean, even I can smell that ;) So the Baumann option of a slow fade-out was infact NOT an option here. The whole quitting business has obviously to do with the general architecture of power in a team like Werder - we all know that Frings undoubtedly claimed and hold on to the alpha-position in this flock of lil' fairies. And that did work well for a while, as long as players were ready to accept that rather pyramidal division of power. And as long as he delivered. However, the evolution of the game has continued and changed the whole defenition of a defensive midfielder (yeah, Jogi was right, I am afraid) and moreover certain rituals and givens have lately been questioned - or even become obsolete. They got replaced by other methods and means. It might be harder to install a "leader" figure these days when you actually go for a restart with younger players. This seems like a generational thing too. As we all know, the more successful teams at least in Buli this season have lower hierarchies and younger players dividing up the burden of forming teamspirit, coherency among each other. Motivation is something that does not need to be transported by a captain. But instead it's there from the get-go for players want to succeed as a team. Especially in this department Bremen is lacking,- aside from the necessary talents to become a worthy opponent once again.
Those hard-ass characters are not dying out, but they have been transformed. Someone like Pogatetz or even an extreme case like KPB (=Kevin Prince Boateng) have come around and mixed tough attitude with a more team-minded style on pitch.
Now it will be interesting to follow the future development of this current trend of juvenation everywhere. It seems like there is a general shift towards having player careers start early, earlier than ever before -- the downside of it might be they would also end earlier than before. It's not only players, but it seems like a generation of authotarian, egomanical coaches have ended their career as well - at least in Germany this year. That style has come out of fashion too and does not seem to fit in with the younger generation anymore. Of course I am simplyfying things here, sacking VG had other reasons too. Frings clearly comes from another era, I mean footballstyle-wise, and maybe also group dynamic-wise - I don't feel qualified for this for I have never personally met him to check out how he actually rolls. (He rolls on a Harley, I know that much ;) So my judgement would be purely on what has been written about him and from the various blurbs he said. But it can be refered that from how the whole thing went down, that the character issue might have come into play here as well. It seems WB knew the slow fade-out variant would be utterly impossible. As a Frings fan, however, I can agree with their rather harsh and abrupt decision, for I know it would be almost impossible to have a captain rotting on a bench - or even worse, disrob him of the capitancy while watching other's play to only get fielded occasionally. That's not his style. So parting with a sweet coach contract seems like the best of all options. It makes room for change. It allows WB to rebuild their team (they should have done that already last season actually) and take necessary steps to become competetive again (oh, how I wish for that to happen!) - something also Frings should want to see happenening!
Putting an end to one's career is a pretty big step - I understand - finding the right moment especially. It is terribly unfortunate that he should end his career at this low point - Werder ranked a lousy 13th after a season in turmoil. Frings might say now "well much of this mess has to do with KATS transfer policy" rather than his field time and blame them for what went down. But that would be too easy. I think reflecting one's aptitude and one's own role in this mess would also become him well. I know, self-evaluation is hard to do in a rather brutal business where auto-suggestion and superinflated egos are somewhat inevitable strategies to survive for players these days. To eventually come up with the result that he does not want end up as an old-geezer beyond his prime or a sorry-looking relict in some funny league somewhere abroad. End it once and for good i.o. to focus on the next level in his life, to not lose dignity and respect, but instead preserve the good memories and awesome moments (and there were PLENTY) that his career encompassed.
Schaaf (and I believe him in this) says, Frings desperately needs being with a team and being on a pitch rain or shine - but as a coach. It's in his genes ;) Seriously, what else is he gonna do? Start quilitng? Join a rocker gang? (He has already DONE that, duh).
So we WILL see him eventually. Maybe not out running ON a pitch as a player anymore. But bitching and bossing and snarking from the side-line! Awesome prospects! Yesyesyes!
