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!@#$%! · 04.18.2015, 02:24 PM

(cont.)

3. Failure to implement a Plan B

Football is a fast-moving business. What is new today will be dated tomorrow. What is spectacular today will be punished tomorrow. The young Borussia Dortmund early on in the Klopp era needed only a handful of seconds from winning the ball to scoring, or at least creating chances. They had the player, ruthless when winning the ball, but also able to play the clear pass. Sometimes long, sometimes short, always finding small pockets of space.

But the players grew older and teams began to test new tactics against Borussia Dortmund. At first, they attacked Mats Hummels, who was doing all the build-up play from the unusual centre-back position. That worked to parts. They also began handing possession to BVB, and learned that by sitting deep this also meant freeing themselves from Dortmund's Gegenpressing. The last time that Dortmund press worked was in the first match of this season's Champions League when a fantastic BVB side stormed past Arsenal. But even in the Bundesliga, clubs like Bayern only handed the ball to Dortmund. Klopp, citing a difficult preseason, had no answer, even after the winter break.

4. No fresh blood

Borussia Dortmund were the most thrilling side to watch in Germany, and for one season also in Europe. They were a team full of hungry youngsters, without a trophy, without a major success. Their famous Gegenpressing and their hard-working style was loved throughout the continent.

It was also draining. Holding midfielder Sven Bender has struggled with various injuries in recent years, and so has left-back Marcel Schmelzer and Nuri Sahin, one of two players -- Kagawa being the other -- brought back to the club in a bid to re-create the romantic idea of that group of players playing their hearts out for the club.

Klopp relied on them. Klopp did not want to cut ties. He was thankful, and maybe too thankful.

At the same time, BVB brought in players from outside of Bundesliga. Some of them failed to adapt to what makes Borussia Dortmund the "extraordinary club" it is. But with Dortmund being forced into the transfer market year, in year out, their transfer policy remained reactive, and the club and Klopp missed out on implementing new blood into key positions, like holding midfield or at full-back.

5. Becoming bigger than the club, and realizing it

With all of the above unfolding into what ESPN FC writer Raphael Honigstein has called a "black swan season," it became evident that Klopp had grown into something bigger than the club itself.

He used it to shield his players from the criticism, and took hit after hit from the German media, who themselves had difficulties finding the right words, knowing that Klopp was Borussia Dortmund, just like Arsene Wenger is Arsenal or Sir Alex Ferguson was Manchester United. But as much as he loved the club, he did not want that. On Wednesday, he said that "the club is bigger than all of us," and added that he felt that whatever he did next at Dortmund was always going to be viewed in the light of his successes of the past few years. In the end, for Klopp, his presence as manager was blocking the development of the club. "The evil of the good deed," he said, and announced his departure to allow the club to find itself again.

Uersfeld is a Germany correspondent for ESPN FC and runs a blog focusing on Dietfried Dembowski. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.

04.18.2015, 02:24 PM	#6677
!@#$%! invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mars attacks Posts: 42,683	(cont.) 3. Failure to implement a Plan B Football is a fast-moving business. What is new today will be dated tomorrow. What is spectacular today will be punished tomorrow. The young Borussia Dortmund early on in the Klopp era needed only a handful of seconds from winning the ball to scoring, or at least creating chances. They had the player, ruthless when winning the ball, but also able to play the clear pass. Sometimes long, sometimes short, always finding small pockets of space. But the players grew older and teams began to test new tactics against Borussia Dortmund. At first, they attacked Mats Hummels, who was doing all the build-up play from the unusual centre-back position. That worked to parts. They also began handing possession to BVB, and learned that by sitting deep this also meant freeing themselves from Dortmund's Gegenpressing. The last time that Dortmund press worked was in the first match of this season's Champions League when a fantastic BVB side stormed past Arsenal. But even in the Bundesliga, clubs like Bayern only handed the ball to Dortmund. Klopp, citing a difficult preseason, had no answer, even after the winter break. 4. No fresh blood Borussia Dortmund were the most thrilling side to watch in Germany, and for one season also in Europe. They were a team full of hungry youngsters, without a trophy, without a major success. Their famous Gegenpressing and their hard-working style was loved throughout the continent. It was also draining. Holding midfielder Sven Bender has struggled with various injuries in recent years, and so has left-back Marcel Schmelzer and Nuri Sahin, one of two players -- Kagawa being the other -- brought back to the club in a bid to re-create the romantic idea of that group of players playing their hearts out for the club. Klopp relied on them. Klopp did not want to cut ties. He was thankful, and maybe too thankful. At the same time, BVB brought in players from outside of Bundesliga. Some of them failed to adapt to what makes Borussia Dortmund the "extraordinary club" it is. But with Dortmund being forced into the transfer market year, in year out, their transfer policy remained reactive, and the club and Klopp missed out on implementing new blood into key positions, like holding midfield or at full-back. 5. Becoming bigger than the club, and realizing it With all of the above unfolding into what ESPN FC writer Raphael Honigstein has called a "black swan season," it became evident that Klopp had grown into something bigger than the club itself. He used it to shield his players from the criticism, and took hit after hit from the German media, who themselves had difficulties finding the right words, knowing that Klopp was Borussia Dortmund, just like Arsene Wenger is Arsenal or Sir Alex Ferguson was Manchester United. But as much as he loved the club, he did not want that. On Wednesday, he said that "the club is bigger than all of us," and added that he felt that whatever he did next at Dortmund was always going to be viewed in the light of his successes of the past few years. In the end, for Klopp, his presence as manager was blocking the development of the club. "The evil of the good deed," he said, and announced his departure to allow the club to find itself again. Uersfeld is a Germany correspondent for ESPN FC and runs a blog focusing on Dietfried Dembowski. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.
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