Borussia Dortmund have announced that Nuri Şahin and Sven Bender have returned to the club to become Edin Terzic’s new assistant coaches both signing contracts until 2025, while previous assistant coach Armin Reutershahn has left the club.
Şahin has been gaining experience in Turkey where he was the coach of Antalyaspor in the Super Lig. On his return to Dortmund, Şahin said: “It was not an easy decision to give up the post of Head of Football at Antalyaspor after more than two years, as we have built something special. I would like to thank everyone involved from the bottom of my heart, especially my players. It was an incredibly intense, instructive and emotional time. I wish the club all the best and am convinced that the success story can be continued. If BVB asks, I can’t say no. As a coaching team, we will try together to get the team back on the road to success. It feels very nice to come home.”
Bender has also been gaining experience as an assistant coach to the German under-17 national team, whilst also playing for his hometown team TSV Brannenburg. Bender commented on his appointment: “I have been in exchange with Edin Terzic for some time and know how he ticks as a coach. When the question came as to whether I could imagine becoming a co-coach of BVB, I thought about it and finally decided that I absolutely have to be a black-yellow again. My thanks go to the German Football Association. The DFB brought me back to football two years ago, introduced me to the coaching job, gave me first-class development opportunities and now fulfilled my wish to be able to move back to Dortmund despite the upcoming U17 European Championship.”
Both Şahin and Bender were a part of the Dortmund squads who last won the Bundesliga. The pair played together in 2010/11 before Şahin moved to Real Madrid and Bender would win the league once again a year later.
Head coach Edin Terzic was influential in bringing in the pair as his new assistant coaches as he faces increased criticism due to the poor performances in the first half of the Bundesliga season which currently leaves them in fifth. It has also been reported that players are beginning to revolt against Terzic and believe he is not a good manager. It is believed that the signing of Şahin and Bender will help fix the rift between players and manager as both have played with key individuals in the squad such as Marco Reus and Mats Hummels.
It has also been suggested that Terzic would be given a competent coach to help him, which with the appointment suggests Dortmund view Şahin as this coach. This opens the possibility that if Terzic is sacked after performances do not improve and the rift between him and the players widens, then Dortmund could promote Şahin to interim head coach with Bender as his assistant.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
