Also because of Niclas Füllkrug: SV Werder Bremen face trouble
After the return of Niclas Füllkrug, competition for places in the striker position at SV Werder Bremen has become even greater once again. That is why trouble could now even be looming.
Salim Musah's adviser has caused a stir with explosive comments after the 20-year-old was limited to a brief six-minute appearance in the first-round DFB Cup match against Lüneburger SK Hansa (3-0)in the first-round DFB Cup match against Lüneburger SK Hansa (3-0).
"Salim has clearly backed up his performances in the Bundesliga so far with what he showed in pre-season," Danny Bachmann told Bild, adding: "Of course we now have to give it some thought, because the decisions in the cup match do not even remotely fit with the most recent talks with those responsible."
Those remarks point to major dissatisfaction from Musah and his agent, which could, under certain circumstances, even lead to a transfer or perhaps a falling-out. The striking jewel now appears to have slipped to third in the pecking order, despite impressing in pre-season.
In the cup, Füllkrug went straight into coach Daniel Thioune's starting line-up just a few days after his move from West Ham United. Another new signing, Cedric Itten, replaced him after 60 minutes, while Musah was left to sit on the bench for a long spell.
How often has Salim Musah played for SV Werder Bremen's first team?
Musah's rise has been meteoric. After initially featuring for SVW's second team in the Regionalliga Nord in the first half of last season, he moved up to the professionals immediately after Thioune took office in February. He went on to make eight Bundesliga appearances in total and even scored one goal.
For a long time, Musah looked set to battle with former Düsseldorf player Itten for a regular place in the absence of the seriously injured Keke Topp (cruciate ligament rupture). Füllkrug's arrival appears to have changed that. The 33-year-old, who had repeatedly been held back by injuries, is coming off a more than disappointing spell on the island. He also fell well short of expectations at loan club AC Milan in the second half of the season.
During pre-season at West Ham, Füllkrug also played no role in the summer and only featured in one friendly. Back in Bremen, four training sessions were apparently enough for Thioune to hand the fan favourite an immediate debut. Füllkrug repaid that trust with a penalty for the interim 2-0.
