Could a similar revolution be underway in the Ruhr region of Germany with Borussia Dortmund? The similarities are uncanny.
Like pre-Ferguson United, Dortmund well and truly fit the cliché of a 'sleeping giant'. Despite somewhat average performances on the pitch in recent years, over 80,000 supporters still head to the Westfalenstadion every other weekend to produce one of the best atmospheres in the European game. A wall of black and yellow will greet opposing teams running out, and with a noise so loud from the iconic 32,000 strong Südtribune, it is as though BVB are a goal up before a ball is kicked. In the past, this crowd has willed the Western German giants on to five German championships, and a European Cup. Yet what have they had to show for the past ten years? Pretty much squat.
However, this all looks likely to change in the next few weeks. Despite an embarrassing second round exit in the German Cup to third division minnows Offenbach, BVB are seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, with just seven games remaining. They have stunned not just German football, but fans around the world, with their slick one touch counter-attacking moves, counterbalanced with the individual greatness of players like 19 year old Mario Götze, and £325k summer signing, Shinji Kagawa. The oldest regular starter for the team is goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, and we can once again point to the red half of Manchester for evidence as to how long a goalkeeper's shelf life can extend to. Furthermore, the puppetmaster-in-chief, Jürgen Klopp, has recently inked an extension to his current deal that will see him remain in Westphalia until 2014 at least. You can't help but feel that there's a dynasty being built up in Dortmund.
Manchester United in the early nineties were famous for doing exactly what a certain Alan Hansen told them that they absolutely could not do- win stuff with kids. The likes of Beckham, Scholes, Giggs and the Neville brothers all inspired United to success after success. Furthermore, of the players listed, all but one are playing regularly for some of the world's biggest clubs, with that one being Gary Neville, who retired earlier this year, after 400 appearances for United, and 85 caps for England.
For Scholes, substitute in 22 year old Nuri Sahin. Where it says Beckham, put in Kevin Grosskreutz. Ryan Giggs? Mario Götze. The Dormtund kids are pretty good too- these three already have a combined 30 international caps for Turkey and Germany, despite their precocious age.
The Dortmund rearguard is also worth examining. In 2008, Mats Hummels was at Bayern Munich, and going nowhere fast. With Martin Demichellis and Lució forming the Bavarian brick wall, the 20 year old boyhood Bayern fan had managed just a sole appearance for his idols. That summer, he reluctantly joined Borussia Dortmund on loan, who had finished a lowly thirteenth the season before. Three years on, and the Dortmund stopper has been transformed into possibly the best German centre back in the game. He was even allowed the satisfaction of rejecting a multimillion move back to Bayern in January.
Fellow centre back Neven Subotic also has an interesting back story. Born in Bosnia, raised in Germany and the USA, and yet plays for Serbia. As a 15 year old, Subotic would train on his own in a public park in Southern Florida. As it happened, that was where the United States under-17 national football side was based too. Before not too long, the US coaches had this boy playing for the youth side, and the University of Southern Florida football team- seeing as he had no club side before. A move to Klopp's Mainz 05 in 2006 brought him to Europe, and when Klopp switched to BVB in the summer of 2008, he made the Serb one of his first signings. After being told that he 'wasn't good enough' for the American senior side whilst at Mainz, Subotic declared that he would, from then on, play for Serbia. Since arriving in Dortmund, he's progressed quicker and quicker; Chelsea had a €20m offer for him rebuffed in January.
The two of them have only missed two Bundesliga matches between them this season, and have only allowed 17 goals against their team's name. Second place Leverkusen have precisely double that figure.
As good as these players may be, the lion's share of the credit must, however, go to manager Jürgen Klopp. After eighteen years playing for and managing Mainz, Klopp had achieved legendary status in the small southern town. He had taken them from an average second division side to the heights of the Bundesliga, where they stayed for three years. Sadly, they were relegated at the end of the 2006/07 season, and after failing to get them up at the first attempt, Klopp walked at the end of 07/08. It was then that BVB took a bit of a gamble. 13th in the league that year was not acceptable. Incumbent, Thomas Doll, was sacked, and they needed a new man. But who could they turn to? The Dortmund job was one laden with huge expectations, and the Schwarz-Gelb nation would surely not be happy with another season in mid table.
Enter Klopp. Sixth place in his first season, fifth place in his second.....champions in his third?
Jürgen Klopp is a fun manager. With his glasses, and unkempt long blond hair, you do get the impression that he's just a guy who's taken his Football Manager addiction too far. Is that such a bad thing though? Next time you watch BVB play, keep an eye on their manager when his team find the back of the net. Here's a video of one of his celebrations:
Some people clearly have far too much time on their hands. But who honestly cares if they keep making fun videos like that? The main point is simple though- Klopp has passion in abundance, a passion which trickles down through the squad. He confesses that, watching himself on TV, Klopp is 'shocked' by his reactions, and has 'no idea' he reacts in such a manner. The sign of somebody who truly loves his job.
Besides being good at psyching up the boys, the man from Stuttgart has a bit of a brain as well. His preferred starting eleven cost just under £10m to assemble, and, as was mentioned earlier, is pretty young. There is not a single outfield player in that starting eleven above the age of 26. His training is pretty revolutionary too. Compared to José Mourinho's coaching school, where almost everything is done with the ball, BVB practise 'Life-Kinetic', which at first glance, does not look like it has anything to do with football at all. However, these movement and co-ordination exercises help the players multitask, act under pressure, and recall and apply familiar information into unfamiliar surroundings. First place in the Bundesliga with seven games to go is as good an endorsement for it as any. Has Klopp revolutionised coaching too?
BVB have all the necessary ingredients to be a success not just in the present, but for years to come. There is something about the club that makes you think 'why would I want to be anywhere else?'; the loyalty it inspires is astounding. You could probably count on both hands the number of clubs worldwide who could say such a thing truthfully. The stadium's there, the fan base is there, the players are there, and now the coach is there- all is set for Borussia Dortmund to take on Germany, and then the world. In any case, it certainly won't be long before a certain Sir Alex is looking over his shoulder.
