Niko Kovac returns to the Bundesliga 322 days after his release at VfL Wolfsburg. It is considered a “hard dog” and the first sentences in the official message from Borussia Dortmund give an idea of what is important for his new team: a lot of work.
“For all of us, it is now about bringing the absolute will, a big heart and willingness to work for hard work,” says Kovac in the first statement of his new Borussia Dortmund association. The 53-year-old brings his brother and former BVB professional Robert Kovac (50) and Filip Tapalovic (48) to the eight-time German champion.
Niko Kovac was unemployed for more than ten months, now he will be the successor to the one a week ago Borussia Dortmund Disassembly head coach Nuri Sahin. Born in Berlin, BVB signs a contract until June 30, 2026 and takes over the team next Sunday – one day after the Bundesliga game in Heidenheim.
The Croatian did not want to come until the end of the season, that was leaked through in the past few days. According to reports, Kovac rejected it to sign a contract until the end of the season.
From in Wolfsburg
Most recently, Kovac was head coach at VfL Wolfsburg. After only six wins in 26 games and slipping to table 14, the factory club, which started with European Cup ambitions, moved the ripcord in March 2024 and separated from Kovac.
Previously, the ex-Bundesliga player, who played for Hertha BSC, Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburger SV, was head coach of AS Monaco from July 2020 to the end of December 2021. With her he reached the French Cup final, which was lost 0-2 against Paris Saint-Germain.
First coaching station in Salzburg
Kovac started his coaching career in summer 2009 after the end of his career as a professional. First, as the successor to Adi Hütter, he trained the second team of Red Bull Salzburg.
From October 2013 to September 2015 he was a coach of the Croatian national team, even then his brother Robert assisted him as an assistant coach. The brothers succeeded in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, but at the tournament in Brazil the Croatians did not get past the preliminary round.
Successful first Bundesliga station in Frankfurt
In March 2016, Kovac succeeded Armin Veh as head coach at Eintracht Frankfurt. He took over the team in the 16th place in the table and successfully led them through the relegation against second division club 1. FC Nürnberg: With a 1-1 in the home game and a 1-0 victory in Nuremberg, the relegation managed.
In the following season, Kovac made the move into the DFB Cup final with the unity, in which Borussia Dortmund was defeated 1-2.
Kovac wins the DFB Cup with Frankfurt
The following year, the Croatian succeeded in the sensation with Eintracht. For the second time in a row, he reached the final of the DFB Cup, where Kovac scored with Frankfurt on May 19, 2018 – his future employer – FC Bayern Munich and won 3-1.
Nico Kovac celebrates the winning of the DFB Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt
In summer 2018, Kovac moved to Munich as head coach and succeeded Jupp Heynckes. He won the Supercup with the Bayern, in the Champions League, the Munich residents were already leaving Liverpool in the round of 16. In the DFB Cup, on the other hand, Kovac and his team moved into the final, for him it was the third final participation in a row.
Kovac wins the double with Bayern Munich
In the Bundesliga In the second half of the season, his Bavarians were able to catch up with nine points on Borussia Dortmund and on the last matchday of the 2018/2019 season with a 5-1 win against his ex-Club Frankfurt, get the championship and thus the first championship title as a coach for Kovac .
A week after winning the championship, Kovac and his Bayern also won the DFB Cup through a win against Leipzig. With Hansi Flick, Nico Kovac is the only one who won the double as a player and as a coach with a team.
Nico Kovac celebrates the profit of the German championship
After a 1: 5 defeat in early November 2019 at Eintracht Frankfurt and Four Tables after ten match days, the Bavarians separated from Niko Kovac.
Kovac is supposed to “make better” players
Whether Kovac is the right man to get the unsettled and fluctuating performing Dortmund players back on course will be shown. He is considered someone who makes clear announcements and thus also teases. In the end, he had almost the entire team against himself in Munich. His tactical concept did not reach in Wolfsburg. What is striking is that for more than 1.5 years he has only stayed with a club: Eintracht Fankfurt.
“We have great hopes that we will collect so many points in the next few weeks that we get back on top step by step,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl. He addressed a clear claim to his new head coach Kovac: “I believe that the squad is significantly stronger than what we delivered and what is also seen in tabular. close.”
Our sources:
- Press release from Borussia Dortmund
- WDR sports editorial team
