Carsten Ramelow: Some Dortmund Players Hadn’t Been Bringing Quality – Kovac’s Focus Was On Getting That Back | OneFootball

“What Niko Kovač has achieved in getting us to fourth place is one of the best ever achievements by a BVB coach,” said Borussia Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken after their 3-0 win over Holstein Kiel on the final match day of the 24/25 season.

Dortmund picked up 22 out of a possible 24 points — no other club has managed a recovery like Die Schwarz-Gelben in the second half of a Bundesliga season.

Appointed in late January with the club in 11th to replace former midfielder Nuri  Şahin, Kovač has led BVB to fourth place and a spot in next season’s Champions League with an outstanding series of results in the second half of the season.

What qualities has the 83-time Croatia international, who is supported in the dugout by his brother, former BVB defender Robert (07-08), brought to the Westfalenstadion?

It’s something Carsten Ramelow, the Berlin-born former Hertha Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen player, spoke about in an interview with WFi’s Ben McFadyean, which first appeared in German on episode 75 of the Dortmund Fan Club London podcast in February 2025, and was published in German on Flashscore.de.

Remelow made 413 appearances and scored 28 goals during that time, and as a 19-year-old, he was part of the Hertha Berlin U23s team which became the only fourth-tier team ever to reach the DFB Pokal Final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in 1993.

With Leverkusen, the all-round defender was a Bundesliga runner-up four times and reached the final of the Champions League in 2002.

Ramelow is president of the Association of Professional Football Players (VDV — the German professional players’ union), and played 151 times alongside Kovač across the pair’s stints at Hertha and Leverkusen, so he has known him since the early years of their respective careers.

He spoke about the qualities and leadership his former teammate has brought to Borussia Dortmund, the prospects for success, and his own career highlights.

A highlight of your playing career with Bayer Leverkusen was the 2002 Champions League final at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Although Real Madrid won the game, do you still have fond memories of the match in Scotland?

“Of course, the final is a special memory, even if Real Madrid were a touch better that day, especially Zinedine Zidane, who played an incredible game. Bayer 04 made a lot of friends that day.”

You have represented Germany 46 times, including at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/South Korea, where the DFB team reached the final. What was the experience like?

“It’s an honour to know that you are one of the best players in your country and to play in a tournament like the World Cup. The tournament was excellent, and the hosts were exceptionally hospitable. Of course, reaching the final was the highlight. Of course playing at the 2002 World Cup was a special experience, representing your country is for every player.”

Back to the Bundesliga: BVB signed Niko Kovač, with whom you played for several years at Hertha and later at Bayer 04. What does Niko bring as a coach, and what makes him unique?

“It’s always nice to see how Niko develops. He is a top professional. He’s the right coach for Borussia Dortmund, a big club that needs an experienced coach. I’ve known him since the early years. We both played for Hertha Zehlendorf as youth players. We’ve known each other for a long time. Niko is passionate about the game and knows it well. He’s a good fit for Dortmund and will get the team on track to success.”

What do you see as Niko’s main tasks in Dortmund?

“Some Borussia Dortmund players have not been bringing their quality to the team, and Niko’s focus is always on getting that from them. Niko has a strong will and can get BVB right back on track. He is exactly what BVB needs.”

Robert, who played for BVB in the 07/08 season, is Dortmund’s new assistant coach. You played with him for two seasons in Leverkusen. What does he bring to Dortmund?

“Robert was a huge talent at a young age; he played with Christian Ziege, who was later at Bayern Munich. We are all Berliners. I can see how Robert has made his way as a professional; he has an excellent, highly professional, disciplined attitude and vision. That’s what Robert and Niko also bring to the table as coaches. The two of them get on well and are a strong team. I want to see them given time to find a new direction for the club.”

What are the main issues Niko has to manage at Borussia Dortmund?

“Well, Nuri  Şahin is very talented and did a good job. I like how he worked, but there is so much involved in the game now that the managers don’t have the time to get something going. That’s a shame because Nuri could have made it. The Dortmund management should have supported Nuri and given him a chance, but that’s the modern game. Niko will work it out in his BVB way.”

What do you think Niko can achieve as a coach at BVB?

“They just want to play at the top; a lot of money is also at stake. They have a chance if they can fully utilise the talent in the team. The new coach will bring a breath of fresh air into the team. You could see that at Bayern: first Kovac, Flick, Nagelsmann, then Tuchel. They didn’t get the time they needed either. He can bring success, let’s see what more is possible for Niko.”