Football Bundesliga
Despite the severe BVB crisis: Coach Sahin is staying
Actually, there should be a big comeback from Borussia Dortmund in the new year. Instead, there is a risk of a major false start. But coach Sahin could stay even if there is another defeat.
The pressure for Nuri Sahin is increasing and yet the rules of the industry do not yet apply to Borussia Dortmund. Even another defeat on Friday (8.30 p.m./DAZN) at Eintracht Frankfurt would not necessarily mean the end of the current BVB coach after Dortmund’s worst first half of the season in ten years.
“We will not have a coaching discussion,” said managing director Lars Ricken after the most recent disastrous away performance in the 2:4 (0:3) on Tuesday at newly promoted Holstein Kiel. The gap to the minimum goal of Champions League qualification is growing and growing. Before the duel on Friday, Eintracht is third, eight points ahead of BVB (25 points).
The trust that those responsible have in the 36-year-old ex-BVB professional Sahin is reportedly so great that he could remain in office even if he were to fall even further behind in fourth place. After the indisputable performance in Kiel, the BVB bosses are slowly running out of arguments for their loyalty.
The arguments for Sahin are dwindling
Until now, the slogan has always been that every BVB coach has to be measured by qualification for the money-printing machine Champions League. “In general, we’re not talking about European competition at the moment,” said Ricken, unsurprisingly after the fall to mid-table. “It’s just about winning the next game at Eintracht Frankfurt.”
And that will be difficult enough given Dortmund’s almost absurdly lousy away performances this season. “That has nothing to do with the demands that Borussia Dortmund has,” complained sports director Sebastian Kehl after the low point in Kiel. “We sometimes behave childishly.” But the players are responsible for this.
“The coach has set the team up excellently emotionally and tactically,” said Ricken and Kehl, surprisingly, almost word for word. However, there was nothing to be seen in Kiel. The bewildered Sahin admitted that his players had not implemented anything he had instructed. “We didn’t expect what awaited us here at all. We expected Kiel to play exactly the way they played today,” said the coach.
Development of the team not visible
Actually, the big and proud BVB wanted and should start a big comeback after the short Christmas break. Instead, after the 2:3 at the start of the year against champions and cup winners Leverkusen, there is now a threat of an English week with zero points from three games.
“We have analyzed the first half of the season. It is bitter when we see similar behavior that has led to us not having a good season so far. That is very disappointing,” said Ricken and delivered This is actually an argument against Sahin, who is responsible for the development of the team.
Flu epidemic is no excuse
However, Sahin is not responsible for the fact that a devastating wave of flu hit the team before the season restart and disabled almost the entire defensive system. In Kiel, three players, Ramy Bensebaini, Nico Schlotterbeck and captain Emre Can, even returned to the starting line-up who might not have made it back into the squad under normal circumstances.
Nevertheless, it was Sahin himself who emphasized: “Even if we had played with eleven sick players, you couldn’t achieve such a performance. I take full responsibility for this performance.” Which, if there are no consequences, is just an empty phrase.
Sahin calls for debate: “Tell the truth”
The coach now calls for a discussion. “It is time that we tell each other the truth in the team, but also in the club,” demanded Sahin. There is enough time and space for this until Friday. On Tuesday evening the team flew to Mannheim to prepare in the Rhine-Main region.
There will be no urgently needed reinforcements until Friday. After the sale of offensive player Donyell Malen to Aston Villa for almost 30 million euros, there is again scope for squad adjustments. They should fit especially for the position of Kehl. In view of the loyalty to Sahin and the criticism of the squad, whose composition was already seen as problematic last year, the assessment that things could get tight for the sports director if BVB misses its goals is not considered daring. Despite the contract having just been extended until 2027.
dpa
Source: Stern
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