Bundesliga
“He will live up to expectations” – Clemens Fritz backs Victor Boniface to shine
By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Werder Bremen sporting director Clemens Fritz has expressed strong confidence in Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, insisting the forward will soon meet the high expectations placed on him at the club.
Although Boniface is still searching for his first goal and has occasionally made headlines off the pitch with some social media activity, Fritz believes the 24-year-old is showing clear signs of improvement.
The striker’s progress, according to Fritz, is visible both in training and in his match performances.
Despite the lack of a purchase option in Boniface’s one-year loan deal, Fritz remains optimistic that the arrangement will ultimately benefit both the player and Werder Bremen.
“I know that a lot is expected of him. Victor is a player who needs a good environment, and he has that here at Werder,” said Fritz, Werder’s managing director of football.
Fritz also drew comparisons between Boniface’s early days at the club and those of former Werder Bremen forward Ailton, who eventually became a club legend.
Boniface joined Werder Bremen in the summer but struggled with match sharpness due to past injuries, initially making only substitute appearances. Fritz pointed out that Boniface’s situation now bears similarities to Ailton’s early experiences under coach Thomas Schaaf, stressing the benefit of having Horst Steffen as a coach.
“When I see Victor, I sometimes think back to Ailton’s early days. Like Ailton with Thomas Schaaf back then, Victor has a coach in Horst Steffen who takes intensive care of him and challenges him at the same time.”
Ailton, who went on to score 28 goals during Bremen’s historic 2003/04 double-winning season, was once in a similar position to Boniface.
While the Nigerian striker is still far from achieving such legendary status, Fritz emphasized the importance of patience. He reminded critics that Boniface has only made eight competitive appearances for the Green-Whites so far.
“With time, I am sure Victor will grow into the role and justify the faith placed in him,” Fritz concluded.
