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Borussia Dortmund have reached a low point. After the dismissal of coach Lucien Favre, the German giants have to weather the current crisis and then install a new coach who can bring enthusiasm and a new philosophy.
Dortmund fired Favre after an embarrassing 5-1 loss to recently promoted VfB Stuttgart. The defeat, which was the third in five league games for Dortmund, left them fifth in the Bundesliga with growing doubts about whether they can achieve their season goals.
Favre had been in charge at Dortmund since the summer of 2018. The results in his 30-month tenure had been acceptable, as he posted the highest point average of all BVB coaches in history at 2.09, but never took advantage of the maximizing the team’s potential.
Dortmund has become one of the most prominent talent factories in Europe, generating high-level prospects year after year. However, they have been struggling to keep up with Bayern Munich and now even qualification for next year’s Champions League is in doubt.
As a short-term solution, Dortmund have put in a trio, consisting of assistant coach Edin Terzic and youth coaches Sebastian Geppert and Otto Addo, in charge, with Terzic acting as interim coach.
The trio are there to do the first maintenance work and bring the team to life before BVB can hire a replacement for Favre. BVB management announced that Terzic and his two assistants are in charge of the team until the end of the season.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marco Rose is among the leading candidates for the hot seat at Signal Iduna Park next summer. The more immediate options include Ralf Rangnick and Jesse Marsch of RB Salzburg, but the club’s preference is to wait and see how things develop in the coming months.
Sancho and Haaland could have left
The current crisis and the uncertainty surrounding the managerial position do not bode well for Dortmund’s chances of keeping top talents like Erling Braut Haaland, Gio Reyna and Jadon Sancho.
England international Sancho has been linked to several clubs in recent months, including Manchester United, and could be out next summer.
While Haaland, who has scored 33 notable goals in 32 matches for Dortmund, and American midfielder Reyna are likely to stick around longer, there is no guarantee that they will remain committed to BVB if the team does not qualify for the Champions League.
Dortmund were only able to develop their reputation as a destination for soon-to-be world-class talents because they were able to provide the stage to shine internationally and in championship races against Bayern.
Possession is the main concern
What ultimately cost Favre his job was his inability to make Dortmund a dominant team in possession. For years the BVB has been inconsistent when asked to play from behind.
After being thrashed 5-1 by Stuttgart on Saturday, even some of the veterans, including Mats Hummels, began to publicly question Favre’s tactical approach. “Unfortunately, we only take risks in spaces where the payoff is quite small but the defensive consequences can be huge,” Hummels said.
The 31-year-old tried to point out that Dortmund often keep the ball in the back for too long and don’t know how to advance on the pitch. This is an invitation to the opponents to pressure them and force them to make mistakes.
Marco Reus also passed a harsh judgment on recent performances: “We are not a team that can defend especially well.”
Tactical wisdom and enthusiasm are needed
Favre’s eventual successor has to solve these tactical problems and allow the team to play “meaningful football,” as Hummels put it. That said, a new coach has to bring a different energy to Signal Iduna Park as well.
Dortmund and Favre had never been an ideal couple, due to the rather dry personality and technical flair of the 63-year-old. The Swiss coach rarely yelled or put players in their shoes when they made a mistake. He was generally calm and polite, in the same way that Bundesliga fans have known him for many years.
However, BVB, with its youth group, apparently needs a different personality aside, someone who can fuel enthusiasm and enforce discipline. Dortmund returned to the international scene a decade ago with Jurgen Klopp, when the young coach presented his “heavy metal football.”
Klopp provided tactical wisdom, but he also brought a larger-than-life personality. While he cannot be copied, Dortmund need to find someone who offers the same combination and represents a different philosophy. If they do not, the consequences for their national and international status could be serious.
