BVB excited and nervous ahead of new Bundesliga season
August 11, 2015
"He's a good solution," said Sigfried "Siggi" Held to DW. The Borussia Dortmund legend's muted assessment of new head coach Thomas Tuchel might sound abrupt, but it echoes the mood around the Signal Iduna Park. Tuchel, widely hailed as one of the most fastidious tacticians in the modern game, looks the perfect fit for a club ready to learn how to walk again after dancing through the remarkable era that was Jürgen Klopp's. That being said, and perhaps part of the reason Held's response was so short, is that Tuchel has been out of the game for a year, an effective lifetime in football. In a city that lives off the Saturday afternoon football, the excitement surrounding a new season is accompanied by a nervous confusion about just what to expect.
"Klopp was a modern fairytale. We could never have imagined that we would have twice won the league, then the cup and made a Champions League final. To go into the new season with those expectations would be unrealistic," said Held, correctly. Klopp not only brought the club success on the field, but his charismatic manner off it gave the club a new sparkle. Tuchel is a different type of head coach, in all senses. What Dortmund must do is come to terms with that, just as Held rather somberly said of his career: " Everyone wants to stay young and playing football was always fun, but that time has passed."
The southern departures of the two who shall not be mentioned have been digested and this season the squad looks more balanced. Roman Bürki adds some quality in between the sticks, while both Gonzalo Castro and Julian Wiegl add much needed depth to the midfield. Clearly, Ilkay Gündogan's fitness and Mats Hummels' form will be season defining, but the source of goals is also a sore point. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has done admirably so far, but another consistent supply would help.
Quality to deliver immediately
"[Adrian] Ramos is a talented player and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang has done a great job, but it's always a question of what is on the market, what is financially possible and how big a role the injury list will play. It could be enough, but it could also not be enough and afterwards you're left saying, 'well we should have done something,' but it's not that easy. If we do need a striker, we need one that can help us straight away," said Held. It is hard to disagree with the now 72 year old. In his heyday, the attacker rose to fame as part of a feared Dortmund attacking line. Not only was Held a part of the 1966 West Germany World Cup team, but he also scored Dortmund's opener in the 1966 Cup Winners' Cup final against Liverpool - a goal that secured the first European title ever won by a German side.
Decades on and perhaps it is time for Dortmund to find solace in Europe's second-tier competition. The road to Basel (this year's Europa League final host) will be bumpy, but with the combined lure of a trophy and Champions League qualification for the winner, there are plenty of reasons Dortmund should set their sights on adding some silverware to their trophy cabinet.
That being said, the Bundesliga is, as Held rather nicely describes it, "the daily bread." Last season, poor league form left Dortmund needing a final flourish to save some grace. For all of Europe's temptation, home is where Dortmund must rediscover their heart. And with Wolfsburg looking to usurp Dortmund from their silver seat, Held is right when he says a lot has to go right for Dortmund to make the Champions League again. There are plenty of reasons to believe BVB will be back in the international spots come the end of the season, especially if Henrikh Mkhitaryan's preseason form is anything to go by.
Still, this is a new era, a blank canvas so doubts and investigations are inevitable. As Held himself says, there is no reason for Dortmund to sell themselves short this season. Tuchel has successfully navigated the slippery slopes of both Europa League qualifying and the German Cup first round, the club's new signings are impressing and Dortmund believes they can make up some of the ground lost last season.
Even with all the new excitement surrounding the Bundesliga's return, a modicum of perspective should be retained. Football in Dortmund has been born again in Klopp's time, in Held's it has exploded - the legend's own words. More remarkable feats may well come, but Tuchel's first season will require patience.