It's a marriage of convenience. The major issue facing the 'new BVB' and Niko Kovac

Kovac didn't act on a whim. He deliberately timed this interview—both the moment and the topics—to coincide with BVB's early Champions League qualification and their looming second-place finish. No media expert is needed to see that.

Kovac is entitled to present his perspective at this stage of the season and to answer the criticism that has dogged him almost since his appointment 15 months ago. It is also entirely reasonable how the Croatian makes his case.

When he arrived, the club sat 11th, four points outside the top-four race; he eventually sealed a Champions League berth and has now delivered a Bundesliga campaign that is both points-rich and defensively sound. That progress speaks for itself.

Kovac is now going on the offensive partly because a breath of fresh air has been sweeping through Dortmund since Ole Book took over as the new sporting director. Kovac is also well aware that Book's appointment, along with managing director Carsten Cramer's vision of a "new BVB", is being held up in the public eye as a counterpoint to his own footballing philosophy.

Before Sunday's 0-1 loss to Gladbach, Book told DAZN he wanted to end the speculation about Kovac's future: "I'd be happy to do that. We are absolutely convinced. We know exactly when he took over and what he has achieved. Internally, we're fully aware of how many points we've earned and how well we've performed."

He added that the club intends to build on the "very good foundation" in the new year while acknowledging areas "where we can improve". The aim is to achieve greater versatility, and the team's development should "clearly build on the strengths of this season". Hours later, the Ruhr Nachrichten reported that BVB is looking to extend Kovac's contract in the near future.

Of course, handling the recurring question of the manager's future is no easy task for those in charge at BVB. Sacking him after only recently extending his contract and following two consecutive seasons in which he met the club's primary target would be surprising and risky. Yet entering a third campaign with Kovac, continuing to play pragmatic football that may once again fail to deliver silverware, would quickly erode the promised "new BVB" identity.

"The key is that we get to know each other very well, that I understand the manager even better, and that we talk a lot about football in depth. If we then maintain a very clear vision, we can also sign exactly the right players. At least, that's how I always see the task," said Book. "I definitely see a vision at Borussia Dortmund that we need to develop a little further. That's how it is at every club when a new manager or sporting director arrives. You want to introduce a few ideas and show something new, as long as it serves sporting success."

Book has now observed five BVB matches from the bench. Three were lost, each after lacklustre displays; the other two were scrappy draws. Even the late win in Stuttgart papered over a performance that failed to convince. With the season's momentum long gone, the standard of play after a full week of preparation still falls short of the "very good foundation" Book seeks.

The intriguing question remains: how will Book—who has impressed at SV Elversberg for years with his innovative ideas, progressive tactics, and shrewd signings—fit with the defensive pragmatism of Kovac, and what compromise might these apparent opposites agree on? In theory, at least, finding a joint solution seems unlikely.

Still, the final impression of a season should not be decisive. Even after three defeats in the last four matches—one more reverse than in the previous 28 fixtures—the results on matchdays 33 and 34 are irrelevant. The main narratives of this campaign have already been set; no further evidence is required.

A wider perspective shows that BVB never came close to its "maximum", contrary to Kovac's claim to the FAZ. He had already drawn attention to himself recently by criticising the quality of the squad, which is why he claimed that nothing more than this current optimum was possible.

Even without dwelling on Book's appointment, a fundamental issue persists: Kovacs's approach prompts serious questions. Under his command, it is hard to imagine a different style of play, even with a stronger squad—which Borussia must build this summer. During his spell at star-studded Bayern Munich, his approach showed no marked difference: he has never been known for a creative, fluid style built on pace, technique and attacking intent.

Once the Bundesliga table is set aside, the raw numbers tell a stark story: against equals or superior opposition, Dortmund were often overmatched. They shipped 21 goals in ten Champions League outings, winning only four. The club had not expected to be eliminated in the Champions League play-offs, and their DFB-Pokal run also fizzled out early. Having all title hopes extinguished by the end of February is hardly a badge of honour.

In the Bundesliga, too, there were too many lacklustre performances, even against sides stuck in the relegation zone. The sole difference on Sunday was that most of those matches were eventually won late on; this time the pendulum swung the other way, yet Dortmund's 90-minute performance was identical to their winning ones.

However, a "new BVB" requires more than defensive solidity; it needs an identity that transcends mere result management. The numbers often backed Kovac, yet the performances on the pitch rarely convinced. That is the crux. Declaring fresh ambition demands proof on the pitch.

The sense remains that Kovac and Dortmund are in a marriage of convenience: the team is patchily successful yet unconvincing, the manager collects results—just 16 defeats in 70 competitive matches—but struggles for creativity. Officials now face the choice between continuity and a clean break. For Borussia, the issue is less about judging the past than shaping the future.

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