After a tumultuous week at Borussia Dortmund, the club has appointed Niko Kovac as their new head coach until 2026, tasked with reviving a team currently languishing in 11th place in the Bundesliga.
The appointment marks a significant departure from Dortmund's traditional approach. Kovac, 53, emerges as an outsider with no prior connection to the club, unlike his predecessors Nuri Sahin and Edin Terzic, who both had deep ties to BVB. The Croatian manager brings a pragmatic, defense-oriented philosophy that contrasts sharply with the club's typically attack-minded style.
The decision to hire Kovac came after careful consideration of other candidates. Roger Schmidt was on the shortlist but is taking a break from coaching, while discussions about Ralf Rangnick and Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeness never materialized into concrete offers. Initially, Dortmund sought an interim solution, but Kovac's insistence on a longer-term commitment led to an 18-month deal without a summer break clause.
However, Kovac inherits a club facing significant internal challenges. Tensions between key figures have become public knowledge, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl and technical director Sven Mislintat frequently clashing over transfer targets. The situation has become so notorious that fans have turned it into memes, including jokes about Mislintat sabotaging Kehl's coffee with salt.
Adding to the complexity, Matthias Sammer, a club legend serving as both consultant and TV pundit, has recently agreed to stop covering Dortmund games after his critical comments about the team's performances, particularly following their defeat to Bologna.
On the pitch, immediate challenges await. The team urgently needs reinforcements at left-back, central defense, and midfield, especially following Felix Nmecha's season-ending injury. However, sporting director Kehl has tempered expectations, telling DAZN, "It could be that we do nothing at all."
The recent 3-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk - Dortmund's first win in 2025 - secured a place in the Champions League play-off round but also highlighted persistent issues. The team's vulnerability to pressure and direct play has been evident, with their attempt to play possession-based football often backfiring spectacularly.
Kovac's track record suggests he might be the right man for the moment. His Frankfurt team, which won the DFB-Pokal in 2018, was known for its defensive solidity and quick counterattacks. With Dortmund's more technically gifted squad, he has the opportunity to build on these principles while addressing the team's psychological fragilities, particularly evident in their poor away form - just one Bundesliga win on the road all season.
His reputation for demanding absolute commitment is well-documented. At Wolfsburg, he once substituted Omar Marmoush just 20 minutes after bringing him on, citing the player's failure to benefit the team. While such decisiveness led to conflicts at Bayern Munich - notably with Thomas Muller - this kind of strong leadership might be exactly what Dortmund needs.
As the club looks to climb back up the table, Kovac's appointment represents more than just a change in tactical approach - it's a decisive break from the past and an acknowledgment that sometimes, an outsider's perspective is exactly what's needed to restore former glory.
