Ricken praises Kovac: “Amongst the best supervisory efficiencies in BVB

By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

Lars Ricken heaped praise on Niko Kovac after Borussia Dortmund sealed a Champions League spot on the last matchday.

Borussia Dortmund protected a location in next season’s UEFA Champions League with a commanding 3-0 win over Holstein Kiel on the final matchday of the Bundesliga project, leapfrogging Freiburg to complete fourth.The outcome capped off a remarkable late-season surge from BVB, who climbed from mid-table to the leading 4 thanks to five successive league wins under head coach Niko Kovac.After the final whistle, Dortmund’s handling director for sport, Lars Ricken, was full of appreciation for Kovac, who took charge at the end of January.

“A couple of months back, we remained in 11th place. Then Niko was available in,” Ricken told Kicker.

“I have actually been at this club a very long time, and I mean no disrespect to any of our past coaches, but what he’s achieved ranks amongst the greatest managerial efficiencies in BVB history.”

Ricken indicated Dortmund’s 3-1 second-leg win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals as a turning point – despite the fact that it wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit from the first leg.Ricken detailed

what he thinks has driven Kovac’s success:”He built confidence by publicly praising the team early on. As soon as the confidence was there, he began demanding more and dealing with the weaknesses. “Ricken likewise credited Kovac’s huge experience-both as a previous player and as a coach with stints at Frankfurt, Bayern, Monaco and Wolfsburg.”With every stop, whether as a player or coaching in Frankfurt, Bayern, Monaco, or Wolfsburg, you get something brand-new. He’s grown and developed, and now Borussia Dortmund are reaping the benefits.”