ÖFB kicker to report

Uproar over Friedl’s criticism: “Simply unnecessary!”

Marco Friedl (left) had voiced harsh criticism after the draw against Dortmund. Now he had to report.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Werder Bremen captain and ÖFB international Marco Friedl and his team-mate Marvin Ducksch caused quite a stir with their criticism of coach Ole Werner and his coaching team after Saturday's 0-0 draw against Borussia Dortmund. Both have now had to report for duty.

"It's basically good when players want more, and everyone can express their opinion, I'm also a friend of that. It just always depends on how and where you say it," Bremen's sporting director Clemens Fritz was quoted as saying by kicker. "We can talk about everything internally, but not in public."

Friedl had criticized the coaching bench after the draw against Dortmund. After the red card for BVB, they had hoped for impetus from outside, but it didn't come, said the ÖFB professional. "We players on the pitch are responsible, but we need to communicate more from outside," Friedl grumbled.

"Issues that are not for the players to assess"
 Words that got Fritz's goat. "What really annoys me is that we put in a very good performance against a Champions League finalist - and yet it feels like you've lost 4-0," said the former player. "And then you take that with you into the international break. That's simply unnecessary, we don't need that. There are a few issues that don't have to be assessed by the players: a substitution or the transfer phase."