BVB in transition: is Kobel taking on more responsibility? | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund is facing a squad overhaul – and Gregor Kobel could take on even more responsibility in the process. However, the BVB goalkeeper is staying true to his approach.

Exciting weeks lie ahead for Gregor Kobel. Borussia Dortmund is set for personnel changes, while the Swiss national goalkeeper is also focusing on a special clash on Friday evening (8:45 p.m.) with the German national team – and with it, a reunion with Julian Nagelsmann.

Their shared history goes back to Kobel’s time at TSG Hoffenheim, where Nagelsmann was his coach. The goalkeeper still recalled his arrival there with a smile in an interview with WAZ: “My father drove me there back then. On the left at the entrance to the town there’s a gas station, a little further on a kebab shop, and the training ground is in between – and then you’ve basically seen everything Hoffenheim has to offer.”

At the time, it was not yet foreseeable that the youth player would one day become an international goalkeeper, but his potential did not go unnoticed. Nagelsmann later put his development into perspective and pointed to his colleague at the time: “I didn’t discover him, Michael Rechner did.” At the same time, it had been clear early on “that he was a very talented goalkeeper.”

Kobel as a leader? BVB goalkeeper remains reserved

While Kobel has long since become a key figure internationally, his role at Borussia Dortmund could also continue to change. The club is facing a rebuild, with several established players such as Niklas Süle, Salih Özcan and Julian Brandt leaving the club next summer. That automatically creates more responsibility for the remaining senior players – at least on paper.

Photo: IMAGO

Kobel himself, however, is approaching this development without making a big deal of it. “I try to support the guys in my own way,” the goalkeeper explained. If the situation requires it, he is willing to take responsibility, but not at any cost: “If I feel that the team needs my help at that moment, then I will address certain issues.”

He clearly rejects any aggressive push into a leadership role. “I’m not someone who pushes himself to the front and has to force his opinion through,” the 28-year-old stressed. That paints a clear picture: Kobel is ready to take on more responsibility – but in his own reserved way.

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