Borussia Dortmund narrowly qualified for the UEFA Champions League last week, finishing the league in fourth place, after languishing in the mid-table for the majority of the season. Now that the Bundesliga 2024-25 season is officially complete, Borussia Dortmund’s South Stand, the “Südtribüne,” penned an open letter to BVB’s management, criticizing them on multiple fronts.
Sky Sports published the letter in German, but thanks to Reddit user DoppeltGrossartig, we can read it in English:
"“At the end of a strong final spurt in the league, the Black & Yellows managed to secure their participation in the premier class, which is important from a sporting and economic perspective, with a 3:0 home win against Holstein Kiel. Although we have deliberately kept a low profile in recent months so as not to add to the unrest surrounding BVB, the past season was still no cause for celebration, as new coach Kovac aptly put it on Saturday. In a year in which one setback followed the next, our team found itself in eleventh place in the table before the 27th matchday, which was fully deserved and in line with our performance - something that can neither meet the demands here nor the resources invested. The fact that we qualified for the Champions League once again should not change this assessment.”"The Südtribüne
It’s an honest opening, stating the widely perceived facts of this season. While it was an exciting conclusion, and many of us celebrated UCL qualification, it is still the bare minimum we should expect from this team.
"“More serious than the inconsistent performances on the pitch, however, was the way in which our club and, above all, its managers have presented themselves in the recent past. This included not only the power games behind the scenes, which once again came to the surface in the form of indiscretions to the press, the unworthy dismissal of coach Sahin in the Bologna dressing room or the repeatedly embarrassing statements by ‘external advisor’ Matthias Sammer on TV. The opaque decision-making processes within the sporting management also gave the impression that responsibilities are only shifted from A to B in an emergency so that nothing can be held against you. All in all, all these aspects created the image of a club with no strategy that always tries to rectify the same mistakes using the same old methods - and has been going round in circles for years.”"The Südtribüne
This certainly speaks to the fans’ growing frustration with upper management, and how they’ve grown to handle serious situations with immaturity, while deflecting blame elsewhere. Those in charge are rarely held responsible. While Nuri Sahin needed to go, the way in which he was dismissed was highly unprofessional, and this question still needs to be asked of management: why was Sahin appointed in the first place?
"“In the summer, the people in charge must urgently ask themselves what Borussia Dortmund should stand for: on the pitch and beyond. It is undisputed that clubs must be economically active in order to survive and remain competitive in the context of professional football. However, if BVB's unique identity and identification with it are to be preserved in equal measure, this must be done within clear guidelines and in accordance with our own club culture. The questionable pioneering role in the DFL's investor plans and the nerve-wracking discussions surrounding the Rheinmetall sponsorship, including the public discrediting of the general meeting, have recently caused the club's own profile outside of sport to fade just as much as the One Piece co-operation, the sale of tatty wrestling belts or the umpteenth neon yellow special jersey in memory of days long gone.”"The Südtribüne
Here, the fans are tactfully critical of Hans-Jaochime Watzke since the BVB boss spearheaded the now-failed DFB investor plan in addition to the controversial sponsorship with arms manufacturer, Rheinmetal. They go further, naming Watzke in a way that assumes him to be leaving, rather than extending his stay another year.
"“In view of the growing competition in the Bundesliga, our club is now at a crossroads. After twenty largely successful years, Hans-Joachim Watzke will soon be leaving the BVB management. It is therefore important to scrutinize the usual patterns of action now - because the departure of such a formative figure also offers the opportunity for a genuine new beginning, far removed from the backward-looking approach that is particularly prevalent in sport. However, this requires clear structures and a vision of what Borussia Dortmund wants to represent in the future. We fans can play a decisive role in this when it comes to throwing our full weight behind a ‘business as usual’ approach.”"The Südtribüne
The fans want a change in the direction of this club, especially off the pitch. While the management is looking to the past for footballing success, the fans are looking to the past for what makes Borussia Dortmund culture so special. The fans want to preserve that, while focusing on the future footballing success of the club, while current management has leaned into the ‘business’ aspect of Borussia Dortmund, while trying to emulate the footballing of the past, not the future.
In this humble writer’s opinion, the fans are in the right.