It has been a difficult six months for Borussia Dortmund. Since their heartbreaking draw against Mainz on the final day of last season, BvB have failed to look like potential title challengers, with Edin Terzić’s side now 15 points behind Bayer Leverkusen in first.
It is even almost certain that if BvB were to put together a phenomenal run of form during the Rückrunde – as seen last season – it would still not be enough to catch Die Werkself. This has, therefore, put Terzić under significant pressure, especially in recent weeks after the club held an analysis meeting regarding his future.
Regardless, with Die Schwarzgelben finishing top of their Champions League group, ahead of PSG, AC Milan, and Newcastle, they have been able to forget about their Bundesliga woes. It could also be the main reason as to why BvB have placed their faith in Terzić, who will remain as Dortmund’s head coach for the foreseeable future, as stated by club sporting director Sebastian Kehl in a recent interview with Bild:
“We are completely convinced by Edin Terzić. We firmly believe that with this personnel constellation and with the quality of the squad we have, we are capable of significantly better performance and will still achieve our goal of qualifying for the Champions League. That’s why we didn’t let ourselves be driven by all the topics that were discussed around us. I understand that the fans are disappointed with our performances.”
Kehl also confirmed what was discussed during the analysis meeting in December: “We analysed the past few months together, treated each other very critically, and drew our conclusions from it. We have already implemented some things, such as signing assistant coaches Nuri Sahin and Sven Bender, but other things may still need a little time. In any case, I believe that we will show a different face in 2024. Based on the table situation, it is also clear: January should be our month!”
While it has not been a great first half of the season for Dortmund, there is clear hope that 2024 will see the club re-find their form in the Bundesliga, and if this is achieved, then Kehl will also be hoping to see the club involved with less negative headlines. This comes after reports suggested that there was internal conflict between Terzić and the playing staff earlier in December:
“Hans-Joachim Watzke clearly denied this weeks ago. One thing is clear: if we hibernate in fifth place with our high standards, then a certain amount of unrest is normal. In such a situation, it is important not to point fingers at others but rather to lead the big picture in a common direction and continue to stand together. The fact is, we have to improve in many areas, work intensively, and be aggressive.”
GGFN | Will Shopland
