‘They still talk about it in Monaco’: Hradecky on BVB boss Kovac | OneFootball

Niko Kovac relies on clear principles at Borussia Dortmund. Defensive stability and a high work rate are among the BVB coach’s key demands. Lukas Hradecky still knows this approach very well from their time together at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Finnish goalkeeper made a total of 90 competitive appearances under Kovac at Eintracht Frankfurt between 2015 and 2018. Together, they celebrated winning the DFB-Pokal in 2018. Hradecky recalls in an interview with kicker that physical fitness in particular played an important role under the Croatian coach.

“I’m really not a fan of the exercise bike, but we quickly noticed how our fitness improved,” the 36-year-old explained. “Endurance was one of the biggest topics for him from the very beginning. You could then see that directly on the pitch in matches.”

Kovac also quickly established clear defensive structures in his teams, Hradecky said. He sees that as a key reason for BVB’s current strength.

“Stabilizing the defense was very important to him, and we also became significantly better there after a few weeks,” said the keeper. Dortmund currently have one of the best defenses in the Bundesliga. For Hradecky, that is no coincidence.

“You can really see it at every one of his clubs. People in Monaco still talk about it to this day when it comes to him. That’s no coincidence. He’s simply smart enough to know that this is exactly what wins games,” the keeper said.

“In the end, he was right”

Hradecky moved to AS Monaco in the summer of 2025, where Kovac was under contract from July 2020 to January 2022.

Alongside tactical instructions, the goalkeeper particularly highlights Kovac’s ability to get his team to believe in his approach. Even in Frankfurt, the current BVB coach had a major influence on his players.

Photo: IMAGO

“His conviction as a motivator, his ability to bring a team and a club with him, that was already his greatest strength in Frankfurt,” Hradecky stressed. Back then, Kovac gave his players a clear message: “He said: We’ll stay up if you do it the way I tell you and follow me. In the end, he was right about that.”

Kovac took over Frankfurt in March 2016 when they were 16th in the table and then led Eintracht to safety via the relegation play-off. In the following years, the club continued to develop under him and laid the foundations for a successful period.

Hradecky’s comments make it clear that Kovac has maintained his basic approach over the years. In Dortmund too, the 54-year-old is relying on defensive stability, fitness, and team unity.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.