BVB coach Kovac under pressure? Watzke sends clear signal | OneFootball

After sustained criticism of Niko Kovac’s style of play, Hans-Joachim Watzke has taken a clear stance. The BVB president strongly defends the coach and puts success above spectacular football.

With a firm position, Borussia Dortmund president Hans-Joachim Watzke has entered the ongoing debate surrounding coach Niko Kovac — leaving no doubt about what matters most to him: results. “Football is about winning — and nothing else,” the BVB boss made unmistakably clear in an interview with Ruhr Nachrichten.

This puts the 66-year-old clearly at odds with criticism of Dortmund’s sometimes less-than-spectacular style of play, which repeatedly causes discontent among parts of the fan base. For Watzke, the coach’s approach is instead an expression of pragmatism. “You simply have to recognize that Niko chooses the approach he believes is most likely to bring success,” he explained. Whether attacking or defensive, the only thing that matters is what ultimately brings points.

The club chief particularly highlights the team’s defensive stability. For him, the large number of clean sheets is no coincidence, but a key mark of quality. “We’ve now kept 13 clean sheets — that’s the best thing for me,” said Watzke, making it clear that he values narrow wins far more than spectacular end-to-end contests.

BVB boss Watzke puts results above entertainment

The often-demanded entertainment factor is, in his view, deliberately pushed into the background. “What would you actually prefer — a brilliant 3:3 or a narrow but confident 1:0? I’m telling you: 80 percent go home satisfied.” In the end, what matters is the result — and the feeling afterward. Watzke also backs Kovac for the way he has handled difficult situations. The coach, he said, stabilized the team during a complicated phase while remaining calm — qualities that are highly valued internally.

Photo: IMAGO

While the sporting development is viewed positively, Watzke also touched on structural issues within the club. When it came to the split from Sebastian Kehl, he said he had deliberately kept his distance. “I was glad I didn’t have to make that decision myself,” he admitted, referring to their many years of working together, which had made the situation personally difficult for him.

The long-serving executive has also already clearly outlined his own future. He intends to step down from his positions by 2029 at the latest. That would be “exactly the right time to stop,” said Watzke, who wants to bring his career to a deliberate close.

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