According to the outgoing club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, Matthias Sammer’s future as an advisor to Borussia Dortmund also depends on his plans.
“It’s interconnected, so it’s linked on both sides,” said the 64-year-old on the “Bild Sport” program on Welt TV when asked whether Sammer would remain an advisor to the Bundesliga soccer club after his term in office ends in 2025. “The contract basically states that he is my advisor,” Watzke said of Sammer.
The long-time club boss announced at the beginning of January that he would be leaving Dortmund’s management in autumn 2025. The 64-year-old’s contract will then expire, marking the end of an era at the Revierclub after 20 years. He will still remain closely connected to the club, said Watzke in the program that will be broadcast on Sunday. “BVB is my club. Of course it doesn’t belong to me. But I will always serve the club in some way if it wishes.”
With a view to a possible role as president, which had already been speculated about, Watzke said: “As long as Reinhold Lunow is president, I will not concern myself with the issue. He is a fine guy, we are on friendly terms with each other.” Watzke is currently preparing his successor in the management of BVB. In the German Football League he heads the supervisory board and is spokesman for the executive committee.
Watzke about Terzic: “I don’t know if I would say that again”
Borussia Dortmund’s club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke has questioned the form of his unconditional commitment to coach Edin Terzic at the start of the season. “I don’t know if I would say it like that again,” said the 64-year-old on the “Bild Sport” program on Welt TV about his statement: “We’ll go the route with Edin Terzic for the next few years. Period, out.”
He was surprised “that such a wave was made of it. My credibility was questioned, it’s all nonsense. My belief is that Edin Terzic is an excellent coach. I expressed that. Nothing more and not fewer.”
It is clear “that at some point the future will come to an end. I also know that football is a results sport. If you lose 15 times, it will be difficult,” said Watzke. The fact that BVB was unable to shape a new one with a different coach after the end of the Jürgen Klopp era was “not a BVB-specific problem. I also don’t have the feeling that any era was created at Bayern after Guardiola. The very long eras We won’t have them anymore anyway. I think Edin is already the third longest-serving coach out of 18 Bundesliga coaches, and that says something.”
The addition of ex-professionals Nuri Sahin and Sven Bender as assistant coaches is anything but a disempowerment of the coach. Especially since it was his wish. “That’s a sign of intelligence and strength,” said the club boss: “Only people who can do something get people who can do something. People who are insecure get some kind of plum.”
Füllkrug’s three-pack brings BVB fourth place: 3-1 over Bochum
Third game, third success – a hat-trick from Niclas Füllkrug gave Borussia Dortmund a fantastic start to the new year and a return to the Champions League ranks. With the long-shaky 3:1 (1:1) victory over feared opponents VfL Bochum, coach Edin Terzic’s team improved to fourth place and moved past RB Leipzig, which was six points ahead of BVB before the end of the winter break had. Three goals from national striker Füllkrug (7th/72nd/90th+1) – including two converted penalty kicks – saved Borussia from a setback on Sunday in front of 81,365 spectators in the sold-out Signal Iduna Park.
In contrast, the Bochum team had to accept their first defeat of 2024 despite the interim 1-1 score thanks to Nico Schlotterbeck’s own goal (45th). Unlike the 1-0 win over third-placed Stuttgart a week earlier, VfL did not manage another coup against a top team.
A promising start seemed to save Borussia from a difficult evening with their strong duels this time. After just seven minutes, a foul penalty gave the team the lead. After a foul by VfL keeper Manuel Riemann on Donyell Malen, Füllkrug converted safely from the spot.
But the people of Bochum were not very impressed. Just two minutes after falling behind, they came close to equalizing when Erhan Masovic narrowly missed the ball just in front of the goal line after Kevin Stöger’s corner. This encouraged coach Thomas Letsch’s team to launch further attacks, which gave the BVB defense plenty of work to do.
BVB coach Terzic’s courage to focus on an offensive tactical approach only paid off to a limited extent. Aided by the absences of the sick veterans Julian Brandt and Marco Reus, young star Youssoufa Moukoko was back in the starting line-up for the first time since February 2023 and stormed alongside Füllkrug. However, this measure did not help to achieve visible dominance. Only a shot from new signing Ian Maatsen (16th) and a free kick from Marcel Sabitzer (36th) showed any danger of scoring.
The Bochum team managed to reward themselves for their commitment before the break – albeit with outside help. A cross from Patrick Osterhage sent BVB defender Schlotterbeck into his own goal, although goalkeeper Alexander Meyer, who was standing behind him, could have intercepted the ball. Meyer represented Gregor Kobel, who was also ill.
Even after the restart, Borussia initially had little to do to unsettle the dense Bochum defense. Despite all the advantages in possession, VfL keeper Riemann had little work to do for a long time. Instead, VfL had the best chance of taking a 2-1 lead when Meyer parried a shot from Christopher Antwi-Adjei (58th) in desperate need.
This action was the start of a livelier final phase with chances on both sides. But the Dortmund team managed the decisive action. After Sabitzer’s cross, Füllkrug headed the ball from close range. The cold-snout national player finally scored the final point with the second foul penalty.
DORTMUND (dpa-AFX)
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