Dortmund interim boss Terzic promises attacking football after replacing Favre

Edin Terzic has vowed to prioritise attacking football at Borussia Dortmund after making the difficult decision to replace Lucien Favre as caretaker head coach.

Dortmund sacked Favre after Saturday’s humiliating 5-1 loss to Stuttgart – their heaviest home defeat in over a decade – and placed Terzic in charge for the rest of the season.

The former Besiktas and West Ham assistant will take charge of BVB for the first time on Tuesday when they travel to Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.

And Terzic, who also worked as a scout during Jurgen Klopp’s time at the Westfalenstadion, has made clear the Stuttgart performance can never be repeated. 

“The last 48 hours for me have not been normal because Saturday’s defeat hurts,” he said at a news conference on Monday. “I want to thank Lucien – we worked very well.

“Now everything is moving fast and we have to show a reaction. What we saw on Saturday was not Borussia Dortmund. We have to show a different face tomorrow.”

Michael Zorc:

“We know Edin as a proven expert who has a great feeling for working with our guys. He also brings a very necessary emotion to the game.” pic.twitter.com/8o5APFWise

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) December 14, 2020

Dortmund have kept a clean sheet in just one of their last eight games in all competitions but Terzic favours attacking football over remaining tight at the back.

“I’m a product of Borussia Dortmund. I come from the region and have been a fan for ages,” he said. “I’ve been working here for 10 years now and I’m shaped by the past.

“There are two ways you can win a football game: you can concede fewer goals, or you can always try to score one more. I’m more for the latter.”

Terzic returned to Dortmund’s backroom staff in 2018 when Favre was appointed and has spent the past two-and-a-half years working as the Swiss coach’s right-hand man.

And given his close friendship with the man he is replacing on a temporary basis, the 38-year-old admitted it was not an easy choice to accept the job.

“The night was short. I had to think about it because I was part of the coaching team and had to take responsibility for what happened on Saturday,” he said.

“I sat down with my family and thought about it. I came to the conclusion that I would accept the assignment.

“I’m only human and I have emotions. The defeat hurt and I’ve spent more time with Lucien in the last two and a half years than with my family.

“It’s not nice to see the decision that was taken, but this is football. The players need to have faith and courage and remember we have done a lot of good things together.”

Meet your new league leaders#BLMatchday pic.twitter.com/PwjjyyV9DF

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) December 13, 2020

Favre guided Dortmund to a second-place finish in his first season, two points behind champions Bayern Munich, and could not bridge the gap in his second campaign in charge.

BVB started this season with six wins in their opening eight games, but they have lost three home league matches in a row and are six points adrift of leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Explaining his decision to part ways with Favre, who was due to be out of contract at the end of the season, chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “We sat down after the game and came to a unanimous decision.

“It was the performances that led us to the conclusion. We believe the team needs new input. We have to turn things around.

“I spoke to Lucien personally yesterday and thanked him. He performed very well at this club for over two years.”

Asked if Terzic could land the job on a permanent basis, Watzke replied: “We made the contract run until the summer of 2021. We will have at least 26 games before then – hopefully more.

“The focus is on getting the team back on track. The summer is a long way away and at that point we will discuss everything.”