‘Marco has to make a decision’ – Dortmund closing in on next coach?

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Borussia Monchengladbach boss Marco Rose could be on his way to fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund to fill the vacant head coach role at the club following Lucien Favre’s sacking in December.

Edin Terzic has been in interim charge since Favre’s dismissal, but has not seen a particular increase in performance, and the side currently sit sixth in the Bundesliga, 13 points off Bayern Munich at the top.

A club more recently known for selling its star players then replacing them with young talent, Dortmund have been unable to break Bayern’s Bundesliga dominance, and haven’t won the title since 2012 under Jurgen Klopp.

Last year they finished second, 13 points behind title winners Bayern, and only four points ahead of Rose’s Monchengladbach side, despite a larger budget and a far greater squad in regards to talent.

It’s no surprise that Dortmund are interested in Rose; he’s a tactically astute coach, with a clear way of playing, highly attacking, aggressive football, that utilises the squad he has. The likes of Denis Zakaria, Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea have all grown hugely under the tutelage of Rose and it’s felt that he would get the best out of Dortmund’s frightening attack.

Dortmund want to challenge for the Bundsliga title once again, and they believe that a head coach of Rose’s pedigree and ability is exactly what they need.

Rose has a decision to make as Dortmund circle

In terms of prying him away from Monchengladbach, it may pose a challenge, although Max Eberl, sporting director at Monchengladbach, has said of Rose’s future: “We want to have clarity as soon as possible. Marco has to make a decision. But we’ll talk about it together and then come to a decision.”

Monchengladbach obviously want to keep him; he is one of Europe’s top coaches, with a set of ideals that have served him well during his days at RB Salzburg and now in Germany, and at just 44-years-old, he still has a long career in management ahead of him. However, the draw of coaching the likes of Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, if Dortmund can keep them, may be the final straw for Rose.