Marco Reus’ third goal in as many games hasn’t eased the pressure Peter Stöger is facing at Borussia Dortmund. Appointed in the second week of December, the former Cologne head coach is unbeaten in the Bundesliga, but their performances have been far from impressive.
Dortmund’s trip to Leipzig was a chance to move back above their rivals Schalke, into second. However, they were made to work hard for their draw despite a weakened RB Leipzig side. Jean-Kévin Augustin had given the hosts the lead following a lapse in concentration at the back before Reus equalised ten minutes later.
With each passing Matchday, it feels as though the 2012 Bundesliga winners are slowly losing their identity. Greatness under Jürgen Klopp resulted in back-to-back league triumphs and runners-up in the Champions League before Thomas Tuchel guided them to the 2017 DFB Pokal.
Tuchel’s resignation resulted in the appointment of Ajax coach Peter Bosz ahead of the 2017/18 campaign. What looked to be a match made in heaven soon turned out to be a nightmare. The club spiralled out of control before his eventual sacking after a defeat to Werder Bremen, a run of eight games without a win.
Dortmund had turned their attention towards Stöger, who boasts a philosophy completely opposite of what this iconic club are known for. Defending from the front, pressing the opposition back-line is not Stöger’s speciality, which has been evident in his short tenure as coach.
It seems an age since Dortmund were interesting to watch. Their once flamboyant style of play has now turned into defensively-minded performances which has shown, given they’ve only scored three goals on one occasion in their previous ten games, which came against bottom club Cologne.
Fans are seemingly left disgruntled while the future of Stöger remains unclear. The Dortmund head coach has been criticised of his leadership skills but to be still in contention of a Champions League finish can’t go unnoticed. Four points separate RB Leipzig in sixth and Schalke in second, so Dortmund must be at their absolute best if they’re to qualify for the elite competition next season.
However, the question remains as to what happens in the summer. Stöger holds a contract until June 2018, but what happens after that? It appears he doesn’t have the backing of the fans, although Champions League football may change that while sporting director Michael Zorc and CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke have a big decision to make come June.
Offering Stöger a contract extension at this stage would be a risky move. The identity of Borussia Dortmund would be at risk. Although the Austrian coach did take Cologne from 2. Bundesliga to Europa League football, you can’t help but think that if Stöger was given the Dortmund job on a permanent basis, he would feel out of his depth at an already established side.
Bayern Munich have already ruled out making a move for Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann, which could work in Dortmund’s favour. Both Hoffenheim and Dortmund have similar footballing philosophy’s while the transition of Nagelsmann to Dortmund feels rather risk free.
Nagelsmann has rightly received praise after taking Hoffenheim from fighting relegation to qualifying for the Champions League. It certainly feels as though his time at the Sinsheim club is coming to an end given they seem to be constantly selling their best players.
If that is the case and Stöger doesn’t sign a contract extension, Dortmund would be the perfect match for Nagelsmann. There’s little doubt as to whether the 30-year-old could take the club back to challenging Bayern Munich while the return to fitness for Reus would only help that.
However, a stumbling block would be interest in Nagelsmann from Premier League club, Swansea City. The German will be able to leave Hoffenheim at the end of next season for around €10 million, due to a reported release clause in his contract but for a club of like Dortmund, that seems to be a rather large fee to pay.
The next couple of months will certainly play a big role in the future of Borussia Dortmund. Their fall this season has seen other Bundesliga clubs close the gap, with Bayern Munich still leading the race. If they make the wrong decision, then they could fall behind the ever-improving Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leave A Comment