Terzic, from fan to head coach | OneFootball

According to as.com, an old photo of Edin Terzic cheering Borussia Dortmund in 2012 frames a journey from the stands to the dugout. 12 years on he came close to the Champions League with BVB and is now Athletic Club’s new head coach.

The image shows him with a black and yellow scarf at the Olympiastadion during the 2012 Pokal final, when Jürgen Klopp’s side beat Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern 5-2. Beyond the Pokal and the German Supercup he lifted as coach, Terzic is remembered as the fan who took the bench.

The fairy-tale from terrace to touchline also revealed deep cracks. Mats Hummels criticised his defensive approach against elite opponents before the Champions League final. After losing to Real Madrid he was allowed an emotional farewell, but board backing had ebbed and he felt he had to go to keep control of the narrative.

His manner resonated with part of the Yellow Wall, but not all. He was seen as a borusse to the core, embodying the club motto of true love. Whether it works in Bilbao remains to be seen and depends on how far he has processed mistakes from his first spell as a head coach.

On the pitch he often struggled to unpick low blocks. Dortmund sat deep versus Leverkusen or Bayern, and football rarely sparkled. He leaned on physicality, direct play and quick transitions, recalled as a coach who achieved a lot yet almost nothing.

Source: as.com