Although Dortmund lost his victory in the Champions League match against Juventus this week due to two goals conceded in the last moment, the team has shown an increasingly clear success pattern under coach Kovac to this season. German media Biography has included Kovac's style characteristics in coaching, especially pointing out his firm attitude towards star players Gilasi and Bellingham Jr.'s. The report first pointed out that Kovac's characteristics of coaching Dortmund are very clear: the process is more urgency, iron discipline, performance priority principle, and no care for big-name players. Even Gilassi and Bellingham Jr. also hit a wall in Kovac. Biography analyzed that the Dortmund coach was showing tough skills in all aspects and was uncompromising:
► On the Bellingham issue: the star's last name and 30.5 million euro transfer fee were useless - Kovac showed him in his private conversation and especially in public speech ("competitive competition in Dortmund") that the heavyweight transfer player did not enjoy higher star treatment. As for the side dispute between the team and Bellingham’s father Mark (his critical speech in the player channel), it simply doesn’t matter to Kovac.
► On the issue of Gilasi: Kovac revoked his number one penalty kicker qualification, ranking him behind Benzebaini. When Gilasi still wanted to take the penalty against Juventus, Kovac scolded him loudly. This is another signal to the whole team that even Dortmund's "life-saving straw" Gilasi (who has already missed three penalty kicks at Dortmund), he cannot avoid the principle of performance priority.
► "Scattered elements" of Dortmund: It is very eye-catching that Adeyemi, who is good at dribbling, has got rid of his much-criticized lazy style and has recently left a deep impression on people with active pressing; strategist Sabitzer has also gotten rid of his "stinky temper" image and has become the team's responsibility again. Kovac's discipline is equally effective for these former Dortmund "big-name" players.
► In terms of speech: Kovac communicates directly and mercilessly. To him, credibility is important: what he says will be fulfilled. Some stars allegedly had been upset with false promises during his predecessors' coaching.
► In terms of training: Assistant coach Philip Tapalovic's role as the "Ice Bucket Police" is well known, but in fact every training is strictly supervised. There is a supervisor near each small group to check if anyone is lazy. The idle training equipment was cleaned up and new equipment was added. After the game, players usually continue to train on the fitness tester.
► In terms of organizational structure: Kovac did not change the team committee, but formed his own core body: his "secret advisory group" consists of communication-friendly Emre Jan, Schlottbeck, and Gross, who will discuss everything with them first and now expand the team. He also reorganized the coaching staff based on his own ideas with his confidants.
► For club executives: Kovac himself promoted the renewal until 2027, mainly to be able to establish a long-term structure. In the Club World Cup, he even let Gittens sit on the bench, while senior executives were trying to negotiate with Chelsea on transfer fees. He explicitly supports experienced Sabitzer and Brandt within the club, who once listed them as potential targets for sale.
► To Himself: Kovac learned something, and the players are discussing that Kovac has gotten rid of the image of the "barracks-like atmosphere" he coached in Bayern. The players allegedly actively noticed that he now finds a better balance between strictness and relaxation.
Under Kovac's leadership, Dortmund has been unbeaten in the league for 11 consecutive games, and now this uncompromising style must continue to be reflected in the results of the game...