RThere are a few parking bays to the right and left along Adi-Preißler-Allee, which leads to the Borussia Dortmund training ground. They are an ideal refuge for autograph hunters. From here you can wave to the BVB pros who are driving home from training in their cars. Most of the time they stop for a signature or a selfie.
The fans were here again on Wednesday evening. Above all, they were waiting for the trainer – although he had put his signature on pretty much everything that was held out to him beforehand.
Good mood in training: Edin Terzic is coach of Borussia Dortmund again
Source: dpa/Bernd Thissen
No matter which star BVB should also sign: it is difficult to imagine that even a particularly prominent professional would electrify the supporters like Edin Terzic.
The 39-year-old, who led Dortmund to the DFB Cup and the Champions League as interim coach two seasons ago, is back after just a year. And with his return to the touchline, it seems the dark clouds, grumblings and unease surrounding the club have all seemed to have lifted.
The first public training as part of the preparation for the season turned out to be a happening. For safety reasons, more than 1,300 spectators were not allowed in the small stadium in the Brackel district, where Terzic had his players work. That didn’t dampen the mood.
There was applause as soon as the team showed up. Cries of “Edin, Edin” erupted again and again. “It feels good to feel the ball and the grass again. It’s a very special day,” said Terzic. He is happy to be able to work again in the job that has always been more of a calling than a job for him.
Terzic always wanted to return to the bench
Sooner or later, the Sauerland native would have worked as a trainer again anyway. Even after the 2020/21 season, as agreed, he withdrew to the post of technical director created especially for him and made way for his successor Marco Rose, who had been signed months earlier – it was always clear to Terzic that he would return to the bench. “But that it will then happen so quickly and that it will be at BVB the following year – that was of course not so clear,” he said.
If the vast majority of fans had had their way, the interlude with Rose would never have happened. At the latest after the 4-1 win in the DFB Cup final against RB Leipzig in April 2021, they had taken Terzic to their hearts.
Edin Terzic gives the fans autographs after BVB training
Source: AFP/INA FASSBENDER
On the one hand it was the fighting style in which the team suddenly played under him, but even more his style: Terzic was more happy after goals like a fan than like a coach. The supporters had always longed for such an emotional coach, who lived out his feelings on the line, since Jürgen Klopp’s departure in 2015.
And now there was finally someone like that again, who also came from his own club and stood in the south stand himself as a youngster. But the bosses get another one anyway? Hardly anyone understood that.
Maybe the club management was no longer convinced at the time whether they were doing the right thing. But two months before the cup triumph, managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke and sports director Michael Zorc still didn’t know whether Terzic was up to the task. The former youth coach finally took over from Lucien Favre in December 2020. And Rose was the most eligible candidate available.
Rose is now history. The reasons for this were certainly Terzic’s charisma and success. Watzke and Zorc could appeal so much not to compare the two very different types of coaches – the fans did it anyway.
In addition, the team under Rose repeatedly showed fluctuations in performance, which sparked an old debate: that about the insufficient mentality of BVB players. The lack of a chance in the fight for the title was still accepted due to Bayern’s ever-increasing economic advantage.
The song and soundless failure in the cup competitions, however, no longer. In the final analysis of the season, there was a bang and the breakup with Rose. Possibly also because the bosses knew: They still have Terzic up their sleeve, but maybe not for much longer.
“We want to make people happy on a regular basis”
Now everything is set to zero in Dortmund. With Terzic, the spirit of optimism that prevailed towards the end of the season before last should be revived. The fans should be euphoric again. Terzic has proven that he can do his part.
“We want to make people happy – not just once, but regularly every three days, so that we can hopefully celebrate the big thing,” he said. But he did not want to speculate about “what will take place in May next year”. He has learned not to talk too euphorically.
Terzic is aware that football Germany expects him and his team to finally create tension at the top of the league after ten Bavarian championship titles. Of course he doesn’t promise that. But “pushing forward the development of the team” – that’s what he and his assistant coach “really want”.
In order to be able to cope with all requirements, Terzic brought a wealth of experience to his coaching staff. In addition to his confidante Christian Geppert (38), who had already assisted him during his interim period, Peter Hermann (70) was the longest-serving assistant coach ever.
“Peter has already enriched half of the Bundesliga, so he couldn’t have just stopped without stopping at us,” said Terzic. He personally persuaded Hermann to come to Dortmund. In any case, there can no longer be any question of an inexperienced staff: “Now we are 50 years old on average.”
Terzic also influenced squad planning. Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck, Salih Özcan, Karim Adeyemi and Sébastien Haller are transfers from Sebastian Kehl, the new sporting director. “I was involved in every decision,” said Terzic, referring to his previous position as Technical Director. No one should think they weren’t involved.
New chance for super talent Moukoko
Terzic also wants to bring talents like Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (17), Tom Rothe (17) and Lion Semic (18) to the team. Youssoufa Moukoko (17), who barely got a chance under Rose last season, is set to break through under the former youth coach he knows and respects.
BVB is in the process of familiarizing itself with something new. With an old but still young coach. In any case, compared to his first time as a Bundesliga coach, Edin Terzic seems to have matured significantly.
