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 address the criticism that has trailed 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. He eventually secured a Champions League spot 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," Book said. "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 just extending his contract and delivering back-to-back top-four finishes would surprise many and carry risk. Yet entering a third term with Kovac, continuing his pragmatic style without challenging for silverware, would quickly erode the club's "new BVB" narrative.

"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're still developing 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 victories, including a late win in Stuttgart that papered over similar shortcomings. Despite the obvious fatigue, the standard of play—after a full week of preparation in each case—falls well 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, 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 impressions are needed.

A wider perspective makes it clear that BVB never came close to their "maximum", contrary to Kovac's claim to the FAZ. He had already drawn attention by criticising the squad's quality, insisting that this current level represented the absolute ceiling.

Even without considering Book's appointment, a fundamental issue persists: Kovacs's approach raises 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 the same limitations: possession was slow, movement was predictable, and the team lacked a sharp, modern attacking edge.

Look beyond the Bundesliga table and the numbers tell a clear story: against equals or superior opposition, Dortmund frequently underperformed. Twenty-one goals shipped in ten Champions League outings—with only four victories—leave little room for doubt. The club had not expected to be eliminated in the Champions League play-offs, and their DFB-Pokal run also fizzled out early. By the end of February, every title hope was already gone—a stark reminder of the campaign's shortcomings.

In the Bundesliga, too, BVB have frequently looked flat, even against sides stuck near the foot of the table. The sole difference to the game at Borussia-Park is that many of those performances were eventually rewarded with late winners. This time the pendulum swung the other way, yet Dortmund's 90-minute display 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 mood on the pitch rarely did. That disconnect is the crux. Declaring fresh ambition demands proof on the ball.

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 offers little creativity. Officials now face the choice between continuity and a clean break. For Borussia, the debate is less about judging the past than shaping the future.