Alleged BVB coach favorite
Niko Kovač: “Nobody spoke to me”
January 23, 2025 – 7:48 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Niko Kovač was considered the coaching favorite to replace Nuri Şahin at BVB, who was fired on Wednesday. Now the ex-Bayern coach commented on it – and was surprised.
After Nuri Şahin was fired on Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund is looking for a new coach. According to Sky and “Bild”, former Bayern coach Niko Kovač is said to be the favorite for the post. As the TV station reported on Wednesday, “concrete discussions and negotiations” are ongoing between the club and Kovač. The 53-year-old now commented on this – with surprising statements.
“There’s nothing to report. Nobody spoke to me, I didn’t speak to anyone,” said Kovač on the TV channel Canal+. The coach works there as an expert for the Champions League.
However, the former Bundesliga coach was open to returning to coaching. Kovač explained: “Basically, I’m a guy who needs and looks for challenges. I haven’t done anything for nine months now. But at some point the time will come when I’ll do something again.”
Kovač most recently worked at VfL Wolfsburg, where he was on the sidelines from July 2022 to March 2024. He previously sat in the coaching bench at AS Monaco (July 2020 to January 2022) and FC Bayern (July 2018 to November 2019).
According to information from Sky, Dortmund are considering engaging Kovač until the end of the current season. Fredi Bobic could well imagine that. He said on Sky: “Niko Kovač would be exactly what the team needs with this team, in this constellation. Clear hand, clear approach, structure, discipline, simple game, fitness and: ability to suffer. That above all. Niko Kovač: the best solution.”
Dortmund needs a solution on the coaching bench as soon as possible. On Saturday against Werder, U19 coach Mike Tullberg will take his place there on an interim basis and must ensure that Dortmund scores three points. BVB is in tenth place in the league.