A central role in Tuchel’s system
Gündogan believes that he earned the trust of new coach Tuchel for a while ago. Even before the 41-year-old took over the manager’s role there, had been a private conversation between the playmaker and his soon-to-be coach. "For me it was important that we spoke before pre-season started," said Gündogan. "We had a really honest conversation and we both spoke our mind." Tuchel presented the midfielder with his vision for Dortmund, told him of his plans for various players, and spoke of the potential for everyone to improve.
In the 4-1-4-1 system that Tuchel favours, Gündogan is playing a slightly more advanced role than usual. "In this system, I don’t really have to drop back to pick up the ball between the central midfielders to start the play and to defend in the middle," he explained. "I’m seeing a lot more of the ball in the opposition’s half, and especially the final third." In a 4-2-3-1 formation with two holding midfielders, the formation Dortmund and Gündogan played in the last few years, the midfielder knew his role inside out.
Fresh, cheerful and in good spirits, Gündogan is getting to work with what lays ahead of him. His fifth year at BVB is also kind of a new beginning for him – and he can look up at the statue of Christ during pre-season training and hope that it brings him the same luck that it brought the national team one year ago.
Ilkay Gündogan is back on the right track with Borussia Dortmund. After a broken-down transfer and a long injury lay-off, the Germany international is almost like a new signing for BVB. He is eager to get started again – with one eye on next year’s European Championship in France. DFB.de spent the day with the 24-year-old at training.
The statue of Christ, arms open wide, majestically overlooks the buildings of Bad Ragaz from its vantage point high up on the Guschakopf. This smaller version of the world-famous statue in Rio de Janeiro serves as to remind the 5,700 inhabitants of the small, classy spa town in the east of Switzerland of the sculpture exhibition on show.
Those Dortmund players who were part of Germany’s World-Cup-winning squad will look upon the statue with fond memories of one year ago, as the Bundesliga side undergoes a week-long pre-season training camp in Bad Ragaz. BVB captain Mats Hummels, Erik Durm, Kevin Großkreutz, Matthias Ginter and Roman Weidenfeller were all part of the squad that brought the title home from Rio with them.
"I’m on the right track"
For Ilkay Gündogan, Die Mannschaft’s triumph could not seem further away. Instead of travelling with his teammates to Rio last summer, the 24-year-old toiled away in rehab. The midfielder showed up for pre-season training in Switzerland burning for action, as he attempts to get back his best form for both club and country. "For me, putting in good performances is the most important thing – getting back to my old form and improving on it if possible;" said Gündogan during Wednesday’s press conference in the 5-star team hotel, the Grand Resort in Bad Ragaz. "I think I’m on the right track to get there."
The to-ing and fro-ing over his possible departure from Dortmund, being whistled by his own fans – it’s all had a big effect of the BVB midfielder, but he’s aiming to come back even better. "I’m only looking ahead," said Gündogan. "I can understand that there are people that think I’m a bad person, or that are angry. But I’ve also received a lot of support – there were also fans that were happy I’ll be here for at least another year."
In order to make up his mind whether to stay or go, he sought advice from national manager Joachim Löw, just as his compatriots André Schürrle, Max Kruse and most recently Sami Khedira have done in the past. "It’s true that we spoke," said Gündogan. "It was a good chat, but the national manager didn’t want to get himself involved too much. He said that anything is possible for me if I perform well." For him there’s no disadvantage to staying at BVB and performing well in a familiar environment.
"Good doesn’t even cover it," praised Zorc
The Gelsenkirchen-born midfielder’s goals are clear: get back into the team, compete on three fronts in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and the Europa League, and eventually work his way back into the national team set-up. At the end of it all "there’s a big tournament next year that I want to be fully fit for." Gündogan, capped eleven times by his country, is of course looking to the 2016 European Championship in France. "The manager has obviously got his fingers crossed that I find my old form," said the midfielder.
Gündogan has already given BVB manager Thomas Tuchel a number of good reasons why he should feature in the new coach’s plans. The midfield technician put in some excellent performance in during his team’s tour of Asia. "Good doesn’t ever cover it," said BVB sporting director Michael Zorc of the Germany international’s performances. Gündogan also impressed in the recent 4-1 win over FC Luzern – and he has an even bigger test coming up on Saturday evening when Dortmund face Italian double-winners and Champions League finalists Juventus in St. Gallen. The Germany internationals in the BVB squad will line up against colleague Sami Khedira and the encounter will provide an excellent opportunity to see just how far Gündogan has come.
A central role in Tuchel’s system
Gündogan believes that he earned the trust of new coach Tuchel for a while ago. Even before the 41-year-old took over the manager’s role there, had been a private conversation between the playmaker and his soon-to-be coach. "For me it was important that we spoke before pre-season started," said Gündogan. "We had a really honest conversation and we both spoke our mind." Tuchel presented the midfielder with his vision for Dortmund, told him of his plans for various players, and spoke of the potential for everyone to improve.
In the 4-1-4-1 system that Tuchel favours, Gündogan is playing a slightly more advanced role than usual. "In this system, I don’t really have to drop back to pick up the ball between the central midfielders to start the play and to defend in the middle," he explained. "I’m seeing a lot more of the ball in the opposition’s half, and especially the final third." In a 4-2-3-1 formation with two holding midfielders, the formation Dortmund and Gündogan played in the last few years, the midfielder knew his role inside out.
Fresh, cheerful and in good spirits, Gündogan is getting to work with what lays ahead of him. His fifth year at BVB is also kind of a new beginning for him – and he can look up at the statue of Christ during pre-season training and hope that it brings him the same luck that it brought the national team one year ago.
