Should Lucien Favre remain at Borussia Dortmund? The pros and cons

With his cryptic statements after the 0-1 defeat against Bayern Munich, BVB coach Lucien Favre has sparked another discussion about his future at Borussia Dortmund. Should the Swiss stay with the Westphalian coach in the coming season? The pros and cons.

PRO: There is no Klopp clone

By Martin Volkmar

After the 0: 1 against Bayern, Lucien Favre is again under criticism. For his hesitant tactical orientation in the all-or-nothing game and also for his strange statements after the game, which were immediately interpreted as an announcement of withdrawal.

It is about more fundamental things than the defeat against the record champions: the lack of fire at the head coach, the inexplicably anemic appearances in the first half of the season and his often sovereign escape into meaningless phrases. In summary, the allegations result in the statement that Favre is not a master coach.

Klopp’s dark shadow over each successor

However, this has been the case in the Bundesliga since 2009 for all trainers who did not look after FC Bayern or who were called Jürgen Klopp. The former successful coach still hovers like a dark shadow over all of his successors at BVB. Although in the end it was no longer running under Klopp and the team was even in acute relegation difficulties in 2017, which the transfigured review likes to forget.

Since then, the black and yellow have been looking in vain for a Klopp clone – but there is none. This is one of the reasons why a technically outstanding man like Thomas Tuchel had to go despite winning the cup. Julian Nagelsmann would have best matched the Klopp profile of the tactically and media-savvy emotion trainer, but the impatient BVB bosses did not want to wait a year for the supposed wish solution in 2018, unlike RB Leipzig – although the then transition coach Peter Stöger was sure to be another season could have acted as a placeholder. Instead, Favre was chosen at that time – with all its strengths but also weaknesses.

But since the unnecessary failure in last year’s title race despite a nine-point lead over the weakening Bayern, doubts about the Swiss have been considerable, and the criticism is by no means just from outside. Since Klopp and Nagelsmann are not available and there are doubts about the suitability of Niko Kovac at this level, Favre remains in office.

There are many arguments in favor of Favre

The people in charge should now stand fully behind the 62-year-olds instead of sometimes complaining publicly, sometimes behind the scenes. And make the best of what you have: an experienced realist with outstanding technical expertise, who has a clear philosophy and can make a team better.

Favre not only proved this at his two previous stations when he led Gladbach and Nice into the Champions League with attractive football. His record can also be seen in Dortmund: With an average of 2.15 points per Bundesliga game, he is the most successful BVB coach ever, ahead of Tuchel (2.09) and well ahead of Klopp (1.91) and another club icon , Ottmar Hitzfeld (1.85).

He was also known as a reserved specialist, but he was allowed to work with BVB for four years in relative calm until the first championship. In this respect, you should also give Favre time and build on the visible improvements in the second half of the offensive and on the defensive. Also or precisely because of a lack of sensible alternatives.

Lucien Favre: His previous record at BVB

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