Kovač: "We'll give our all to win in Munich" | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač: "We'll give our all to win in Munich"

Ahead of Borussia Dortmund's Klassiker clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Matchday 29, bundesliga.com sat down with BVB head coach Niko Kovač to discuss the match, his time at Signal Iduna Park so far and what he took from previous jobs, including in Munich...

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bundesliga.com: Niko, this Saturday in Munich is Der Klassiker. But rather than first against second, as has so often been the case, it's first against eighth. Is this still a special game?

Niko Kovač: "Yes, we both aren't in the usual positions in the table, but the allure of this fixture is always there. I believe it will be shown around the world in over 100 nations. That means Der Klassiker has grown over the last few years and decades. The fact it’s not first against second or third is down to us, but we’ll still give our all to repeat what Dortmund managed there last year, to win in Munich.”

bundesliga.com: One of your main tasks will be keeping Harry Kane quiet. What makes him such a good striker?

Kovač: "Scoring goals. His scoring rate is amazing and what he’s achieved in terms of scoring goals during his career. If we are able to keep him out the game, then we will have eliminated a big part of Bayern’s game already.”

Niko Kovač (r.) has been making the most of his time with his players so far, leading to improved performances for Borussia Dortmund on the pitch. (IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO)

bundesliga.com: However, in Serhou Guirassy you have a top striker yourself. Is he a leader within the team regardless of his goals?

Kovač: “He’s obviously important for our team with his presence, having a goalscorer like him, because he can decide games. And also looking at the opposition, he’s also important, because when I have Serhou in the team, it has a different effect on the opposition than when I don’t have him. That’s why he’s important for us. He’s quiet, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t take on responsibility. He actually does take on responsibility on the training ground and also on the pitch. That’s what every coach needs. You need multipliers on the training ground and on the pitch. That can’t be 10 people, but if you’ve got three to five, then it helps a coach.”

bundesliga.com: This match comes on the back of Dortmund's improved results in the Bundesliga. What are the reasons behind this increase in the level of performance?

Kovač: “We have now played eight games since we arrived. We had to change some things in the players’ mindset. Every coach has their own image of how they see certain things. And it takes time. You can’t just delete everything from the players' minds and have the new stuff suddenly work. You need them to get used to it, and it takes some time. I think the players are implementing a lot now. It is best when things work automatically. At the moment they’re still thinking a bit about what the coach wants. But things are improving and that’s the goal.”

bundesliga.com: Professional football is always intense, but do things change in this part of the season?

Kovač: “We’re heading towards the finish line. It’s about getting into the right position for the end of the season, securing that. And we obviously want to be up there in both competitions.”

bundesliga.com: The recents results have probably in contrast to your your first few weeks here, which we imagine were difficult. Did that have an impact on your outlook?

Kovač: “When you take a new job, you’re obviously full of energy. You want to perform straight away. We definitely had a stuttering start with two defeats. Things definitely weren’t very positive in the Bundesliga. But we’ve now got going. I think we’ve made good progress. We’re definitely where we want to be, but I can see good progress in many areas. We want to continue that.”

bundesliga.com: Coming back to what you mentioned about changing the mindset, can you elaborate?

Kovač: “We obviously need to score goals to win games, but we also have to make sure we don’t concede goals. And it’s about building some stability in defence. When you’re solid at the back and solid as a team, it’s easier to win games because of the quality we have in the team. You can see we’ve reduced the number of goals we’re conceding. You can see we’ve reduced the number of chances our opponents have. And at the same time we’ve increased the number of chances we are creating.

bundesliga.com: Is your biggest task to get into the minds of your players?

Kovač: “When there’s a change of coach, there are reasons behind that. The team and individuals were definitely doubting each other after those bad results. So, the first thing is to clear that up or push it to one side, to give those players confidence, first verbally and then through performances in training and matches, because every player is also a person. Players can start to doubt themselves when things aren’t going well. So, it was about putting that to one side to bring the strengths that they undoubtedly have back to the fore.”

bundesliga.com: On the subject of defending, you lost Nico Schlotterbeck for the rest of the season this week. How much of a blow is that?

Kovač: “It affects us all, first as people, because he’s a great guy, and also in a sporting sense. He’s a very important pillar of this club and this team. You can see that in recent weeks and months. But that’s how it is. We need to swallow this pill. It’s about the young man getting the time he needs and getting healthy again quickly, because he’s surely got 10 to 12 more years of his professional career ahead of him. We hope he gets better.”

bundesliga.com: Looking ahead to the clash with Bayern, a team you previously coached, to what extent are you different as a coach from when you were in charge at the Allianz Arena?

Kovač: “Everybody develops, every coach develops, every player develops – the same goes for me. I believe I am more mature now at 53, more experienced. Experience is a very important thing in life. If I compare things with my time at Bayern, then I’ve definitely gained experience and certainly knowledge as well, which is all helping me now in Dortmund.”

bundesliga.com: Given your experience in the Bundesliga, you probably had a pretty clear idea of what it would be like to be Dortmund coach. Has anything changed your preconception?

Kovač: “I think we all know Dortmund belong in the top two in the Bundesliga – maybe not right now when looking at the table, but in terms of the overall set-up and success in recent decades. We know we’re at a very big club – a club with huge resonance that boasts great success and that also wants to enjoy success again. Everything I’d imagined has come to be. I’m not at all surprised. In contrast, I’ve been positively pleased by what I’ve encountered here in terms of the people, quality, enthusiasm. Obviously also working together with the fans, which is really important. It’s great fun. We feel at home and comfortable here, my coaching staff and I. We hope we can bring some success here.”

bundesliga.com: How much did 10 months out of football after leaving Wolfsburg help you?

Kovač: “It was great, to be honest. I’ve been in professional football since 1991 and have basically worked through for 34 years, with a few brief interruptions. And when you get 10 months to really catch your breath, then that’s not bad. In fact, it’s very good. I’d recommend it to anyone. People call it a sabbatical. I’ve had that with those 10 months. I’m now full of energy and joy. I was able to relax well, which is also very important in this business. And now we’re fully focused."

bundesliga.com: How would you describe your bond with the Dortmund team?

Kovač: “Success is always important so that something can grow together, so the players can see that things are bearing fruits. That’s very important for the coach and the team. I think living and working together is at a very good level. We discuss things, involve the players, which I think is very important, because the ideas I have as a coach is one thing, but it’s another how the players see certain things and receive them. So, you always need to seek their advice. That doesn’t mean that you let the players decide things, but you involve them. And when it’s the case and the players signal they feel good and that it’s the right way, then there’s no problem doing it. I think our work together is very good and hope it remains so in the future.”

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