And there were and are good reasons against returning. (For the sake of objectivity: there were and are good reasons FOR returning.)
But times change.
Even half a year ago – despite all the criticism of Terzic’s playing style and tactical approach and despite the transfer period being anything but amazing (even though both Sabitzer and Nmecha often come off too badly for me in the assessment here) – I honestly don’t agree with it Calculated that in the first half of the league, BVB appeared to be SO constantly helpless and haphazard, so deeply insecure, so erratic and vulnerable.
It’s clear that we wouldn’t be a paragon of consistency this season either. Almost everyone expected that.
And it was clear to everyone that the departures of Bellingham (as well as Guerreiro and Dahoud, despite all the deficits that both always carried with them) would create massive gaps in our squad that could not be filled by the new additions.
But that we would at times bring a pass security and a game presentation like a team from the bottom third of the table onto the pitch (in some games not even that!) – and that we would consequently approach the games against the extended top field of the league tactically, as If staying in the league would be the declared goal for the season – that probably left me speechless at times and made my assessment of Edin Terzic (and also Armin Reutershahn!) significantly negative.
Light years behind expectations in terms of results, poor in terms of play and tactics, financially on edge, psychologically on the brink – BVB’s situation is serious.
(Of course, the assessment also includes the fact that 99% of all clubs envy us for this “serious situation”.)
And now – in view of the CL qualification becoming ever more distant but now essential for BVB’s existence – we feel like we’re reaching for the last straw and loaning Jadon Sancho back.
The (unspoken) hope: Jadon would please use his playfulness to raise the tactics, which were only reactive and only rudimentary under Terzic, to a level that would ensure our CL qualification.
One obviously hopes for the incredibly high individual quality that he had with us (and perhaps achieved again if he feels comfortable in the environment.)
This can work, this can go wrong.
There are enough risks:
Will Sancho (without any match practice in the last six months) even reach a level where he can help the team?
If so, is he playing as incredibly helpful to the team as before his move or is he trying to selfishly put himself out there because he just sees BVB as a cheap (and willing) springboard?
Or more generally: will it make a difference that he is now part of the BVB squad until the end of the season?
Given the situation and the financial conditions, I have to say it quite clearly, I can’t think of a realistic (!) player that I would have preferred over Sancho.
So I think the loan transfer – even without a purchase option, even without match practice – is the right decision because the opportunities are significant enough, despite the equally significant risks. We won’t know until the end of the season whether the decision was not only the right one, but also worth it.
(Incidentally, Sancho can become really important for Terzic – as a motivational accelerator and as an emotional anchor.
Not to be underestimated for a coach who now scores points almost exclusively through his emotionality.
I wouldn’t have continued with Terzic after the disastrous late autumn if I had had to decide – but the decision was made differently. And if you’re going to continue with him, then the Sancho loan is absolutely logical.)
The question “to purchase option or not?” To be honest, I don’t really care about this review – the only important thing is that we have no obligation to purchase.
Because if we don’t reach the CL despite Sancho, we will have to put every big earner in the squad to the test because we can no longer afford the team in its current form.
In other words:
I really hope Sancho ignites.
I don’t have more than this somewhat shaky hope at the moment – despite Sahin/Bender, despite Sancho and despite Maatsen.
From a purely rational perspective, there is little to suggest that we will roll up the field again in the second half of the season and suddenly play exciting football.
If that happens, I will of course enjoy it.
And if Sancho actually becomes a factor on the field, I will celebrate him.
On that note: welcome back, Jadon Sancho!
May this second half of the season be much more successful for Borussia and for him personally than I can imagine.
EDIT @Pseudomelon (below):
Absolutely correct, but I didn’t want to repeat myself again: