'The Staff Earned It': Dortmund's Kovač Warns His Squad
Dortmund’s coach warns his team to enjoy a holiday but stay fit, saying players won’t be lazing around.
Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač has given his team a pep talk before their World Cup break, telling them to enjoy the holiday but not to indulge in any unnecessary downtime. Players who are not travelling with their national teams for the upcoming tournament will have eight weeks off, but they'll still be expected to stick to their fitness plans for seven of those weeks. Kovač insists his staff deserves a rest just as much as his players and adds that they won’t be slacking off during this extended break.
The Croatian coach is known for his hard-nosed approach on the field, but he has also been praised for Dortmund’s improved professional attitude this season. They finished second in the Bundesliga with only five points separating them from champions Bayern Munich, securing a Champions League spot despite facing challenges like losing 4-1 to Atalanta Bergamo in a Champions League play-off. Kovač reflected on their campaign, regretting only one round of play-offs but noting that it was their own fault for not capitalizing after taking an early lead against Atalanta.
He believes their focus and effort throughout the season were more crucial than the final game of the tournament.