Dominant in the Europa League qualifiers, and with few problems in the DFB Cup, the new season has started well for Borussia Dortmund, for their new manager, and for the no-longer new Marco Reus. No one is calling for premature celebrations, but following the matches against Wolfsberger AC and Chemnitzer FC, fans can judge for themselves how BVB's preparation is going, and make a broad prediction for the coming season.
There is mounting evidence that the board are being vindicated in their decision to entrust Thomas Tuchel with the responsibility of filling Jürgen Klopp's large boots. In any case, one star player is completely on board with the way in which the new boss wants to build on past successes. Tuchel is not going to totally redefine football in Dortmund, but the essence of his footballing philosophy corresponds fairly well with what Reus expects from the game. In an interview with kicker, he said of Tuchel, "He'd like us to keep the ball better."
"An extremely difficult time"
And Reus is himself a fan of this philosophy. His world can be divided into two categories: without the ball, bad; and with the ball, good. When the latter is true, Reus couldn’t be happier. When the manager issues a team talk, Reus has the ball at his feet. When a training session is halted for a drinks break, Reus has the ball at his feet. When the boss calls him over for a private conversation, he has the ball at his feet. Spectators need to be persistent if they want to catch one of the rare moments when Marco Reus walks somewhere without it.
Those who understand his love of the game understand how hard this last year has been for the 26-year-old. An ankle injury in an international friendly against Armenia ruled him out of the World Cup, on top of which he also tore his collateral ligament twice last season. Dortmund's problems last season were in part due to the fact that one of their key figures was rarely able to play to his full potential. He is not often asked how this period was for him, however he responds nonetheless. "It was an extremely difficult time for me," he says. "Sitting on the bench, unable to support the boys on the pitch – it's not what I'd imagined."
Learning from his own mistakes
This situation was particularly problematic for him, but for a good reason – until recently he had only suffered minor or non-serious injuries. He had to learn and adjust to spending an extended period without kicking a ball. He says, "The last season has been the only year in my career that hasn't gone to plan."
His quote doesn’t just apply to matters on the pitch, however. The Germany international admits that he made mistakes last season – the affair with his driving license, coupled with Dortmund’s woes on the pitch, took Reus to the lowest point of his career to date. Reus did the best he could to deal with everything – he recognised his mistakes and learned from them. Therefore you really can believe him when he affirms: "I want to be a role model to the younger players and help them – whether it’s on the pitch or off the pitch."
No desire to be a superstar
The Germany midfielder isn’t quite a silver fox yet – but he’s also no spring chicken either. He’s missed out on a few special moments during his career, but has also experienced things most players could only dream of. One thing he knows to be true: what happens on the pitch is the most important, and football is what counts. He deals with his quasi-celebrity status in a professional manner – he’s happy to give back to the fans, always taking time to sign autographs and take photos. He appreciates the appreciation, but at the end of the day he just wants to continue being what he is: a world-class footballer.
Reus is quick to dismiss the idea that he is a superstar. "Honestly, I don’t put much thought into my status. It doesn’t bother me if I’m a celebrity or if I could be one – I’m playing this game because it’s what I love to do, and not to be considered as a ‘superstar’."
"We’ve still got a very strong team"
The 26-year-old is looking to take the 2015/16 Bundesliga season seriously – just like he has done in previous seasons, even if his cheerful disposition and happy-go-lucky charm hides an element of this seriousness. Reus has put last season behind him and is only focusing on the task ahead, now that he’s fit again and has a full, injury-free pre-season under his belt.
And also because BVB have managed to hold on to all their star players. Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gündogan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all followed Reus’ suit in extending their current deals at Dortmund, making this year the first in a while that the club has not lost a key component of their side."To have them stay on at the club further confirms my belief that BVB belongs in the Champions League. We’ve still got a very strong team," said Reus.
The Bundesliga kicks off for Reus and his teammates against another Borussia – BVB take on Champions-League debutants Gladbach on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST). For Reus, the encounter against his old club is the ideal way to get the new season underway. "I think it’s great," said the midfielder. "Not just because it’s against my former team, but also because Gladbach will be an excellent marker for us to see where we’re at this early stage. There’s no better way to start."
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Dominant in the Europa League qualifiers, and with few problems in the DFB Cup, the new season has started well for Borussia Dortmund, for their new manager, and for the no-longer new Marco Reus. No one is calling for premature celebrations, but following the matches against Wolfsberger AC and Chemnitzer FC, fans can judge for themselves how BVB's preparation is going, and make a broad prediction for the coming season.
There is mounting evidence that the board are being vindicated in their decision to entrust Thomas Tuchel with the responsibility of filling Jürgen Klopp's large boots. In any case, one star player is completely on board with the way in which the new boss wants to build on past successes. Tuchel is not going to totally redefine football in Dortmund, but the essence of his footballing philosophy corresponds fairly well with what Reus expects from the game. In an interview with kicker, he said of Tuchel, "He'd like us to keep the ball better."
"An extremely difficult time"
And Reus is himself a fan of this philosophy. His world can be divided into two categories: without the ball, bad; and with the ball, good. When the latter is true, Reus couldn’t be happier. When the manager issues a team talk, Reus has the ball at his feet. When a training session is halted for a drinks break, Reus has the ball at his feet. When the boss calls him over for a private conversation, he has the ball at his feet. Spectators need to be persistent if they want to catch one of the rare moments when Marco Reus walks somewhere without it.
Those who understand his love of the game understand how hard this last year has been for the 26-year-old. An ankle injury in an international friendly against Armenia ruled him out of the World Cup, on top of which he also tore his collateral ligament twice last season. Dortmund's problems last season were in part due to the fact that one of their key figures was rarely able to play to his full potential. He is not often asked how this period was for him, however he responds nonetheless. "It was an extremely difficult time for me," he says. "Sitting on the bench, unable to support the boys on the pitch – it's not what I'd imagined."
Learning from his own mistakes
This situation was particularly problematic for him, but for a good reason – until recently he had only suffered minor or non-serious injuries. He had to learn and adjust to spending an extended period without kicking a ball. He says, "The last season has been the only year in my career that hasn't gone to plan."
His quote doesn’t just apply to matters on the pitch, however. The Germany international admits that he made mistakes last season – the affair with his driving license, coupled with Dortmund’s woes on the pitch, took Reus to the lowest point of his career to date. Reus did the best he could to deal with everything – he recognised his mistakes and learned from them. Therefore you really can believe him when he affirms: "I want to be a role model to the younger players and help them – whether it’s on the pitch or off the pitch."
No desire to be a superstar
The Germany midfielder isn’t quite a silver fox yet – but he’s also no spring chicken either. He’s missed out on a few special moments during his career, but has also experienced things most players could only dream of. One thing he knows to be true: what happens on the pitch is the most important, and football is what counts. He deals with his quasi-celebrity status in a professional manner – he’s happy to give back to the fans, always taking time to sign autographs and take photos. He appreciates the appreciation, but at the end of the day he just wants to continue being what he is: a world-class footballer.
Reus is quick to dismiss the idea that he is a superstar. "Honestly, I don’t put much thought into my status. It doesn’t bother me if I’m a celebrity or if I could be one – I’m playing this game because it’s what I love to do, and not to be considered as a ‘superstar’."
"We’ve still got a very strong team"
The 26-year-old is looking to take the 2015/16 Bundesliga season seriously – just like he has done in previous seasons, even if his cheerful disposition and happy-go-lucky charm hides an element of this seriousness. Reus has put last season behind him and is only focusing on the task ahead, now that he’s fit again and has a full, injury-free pre-season under his belt.
And also because BVB have managed to hold on to all their star players. Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gündogan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all followed Reus’ suit in extending their current deals at Dortmund, making this year the first in a while that the club has not lost a key component of their side."To have them stay on at the club further confirms my belief that BVB belongs in the Champions League. We’ve still got a very strong team," said Reus.
The Bundesliga kicks off for Reus and his teammates against another Borussia – BVB take on Champions-League debutants Gladbach on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST). For Reus, the encounter against his old club is the ideal way to get the new season underway. "I think it’s great," said the midfielder. "Not just because it’s against my former team, but also because Gladbach will be an excellent marker for us to see where we’re at this early stage. There’s no better way to start."
