Full of fire

I got a call from the sporting director and he said: “We found the new head coach.” I said: “Okay, who is it?”

“It’s you,” he said. 

I said: “No, how is this possible?” I was 33 and had been a player with Antalyaspor in Turkey’s Süper Lig for just over a year. Then he told me: “The president of Antalyaspor and I, we want to name you as the new manager. It would be nice if you could fly back to Turkey and we can sit down and get it sorted.” 

I agreed. We had eight points from eight matches, and were close to the relegation places. Maybe I was brave in this moment, but it was clear to me what had to be changed.

When the head coach was sacked, the now former president, Aziz Çetin, called me. He asked what I thought of our team; I was the captain, so he wanted to know how I saw the situation and what I thought the team needed. I was very clear and open.

I had a very good relationship with our former coach. But still, we had problems because we were not performing. So I was very honest and very clear, but also self-critical with myself during this period.

We spoke about football, about tactics and so on. Then, because it was a national team break, I went back to Germany. The next day is when I was offered the role as head coach.

"from the first day, coaching took me like a storm. i fell in love with the tactics board"

Six years before, when I was in my second spell as a player with Borussia Dortmund, I had suffered a big injury. I didn’t know when I would come back to play or even if I could come back. It was the first time I was thinking: “What’s next?” 

I was still young, but having this moment as a professional football player started something for me. It was then that I started to find joy in thinking about tactics, training sessions, meetings, video analysis… all these things connected to coaching.

Around this time, I took over my childhood club, RSV Meinerzhagen. I think, at that time, we were in Germany’s ninth division. I was a part-time coach, while at the same time doing my rehab with Borussia. 

From the first day, coaching took me like a storm. I fell in love with the tactics board, seeing how you can create something – a story – with a group of players. It was amazing.

From that day on I was clear that, after my playing career, I wanted to become a coach. Thank God, I had the opportunity.

When I discussed taking over at Antalyaspor, they asked me what I thought was possible. I said: “If you keep your promises, we will be in the top 10, easily.” I was very self-confident, because I knew what I wanted to do. 

"it was an amazing start – we broke almost every record in the history of the club"

The next day, there I was, standing in front of my teammates, but now as their coach. It was very interesting! It could have gone completely the wrong way and my first step into management could have been very negative. But I was clear and had my coaching staff together already. We had been speaking for years about how, one day, we would get this opportunity. 

The first meeting with the players, I told them: “Okay boys, you are my friends. You were my teammates. But now I’m your coach. There is a thin line between being friends and being a coach. 

“So, I will be your friend, but not your best friend. I will make decisions, and I will put some of you on the bench.” 

I opened the door and we went through it, armed with knowledge, ideas and clear understanding of the behaviour we needed.

Really, I can’t thank enough the group of players I had back then. They helped me so much. When I said we would play with three at the back, they didn’t ask why. When I said we would go for high pressing, they didn’t ask why.

So it was an amazing start to my coaching career. It ended up with us breaking almost every record in the history of our club.

"when you had jürgen on the sideline, it was like you played with 12 players"

After two and a half years with Antalyaspor, the offer came to go back to Dortmund. It was the club where, at the age of 16 years and 334 days, I had become the youngest ever Bundesliga player. 

Jürgen Klopp had the most influence on my career. First, when I was a player – including when we won the league title in 2011 – but also when I became a coach. Beside my family, he was one of the few guys I called to ask what he thought about the idea that I go from being a player to a head coach.

Jürgen (below) had so much influence, because he always saw the human being first and then the football player. You felt it, from player number one to squad player number 25. Young player or old player, it didn’t matter to him. 

So it was very interesting to see, with his energy, how much a person can influence a club and the people. We grew together. We grew as football players, and he grew as a coach, but we also grew as human beings.

He taught us so many things. It is obvious that, football-wise, on the pitch he is – with Pep Guardiola – the best in the last 15 years. He is very, very intense, but he has a clear idea.

The 11 players on the pitch always knew what the plan was. At the same time, even the guys on the bench knew what the trigger was for pressing, which way we wanted to build up, where we wanted to explore spaces of the opponent, and how we wanted to do it. We always knew what to do. 

"borussia dortmund is a different case. this is my club, my city, part of my own story"

On the pitch, this was maybe his biggest strength. To create a team, having a clear idea of football and being very intense. When you had him on the sideline, it was like you played with 12 players.

It has been amazing to watch Jürgen’s Liverpool taking on Guardiola’s Manchester City. I am a big fan of Pep and the style he plays. When I was playing for Jürgen in Dortmund, it was the start of the Pep era in Barcelona. Jürgen knew how much I liked the style Pep played with Barcelona, and we spoke about this a lot.

To see these two amazing coaches being up there for 15 years has been very interesting. Every match you watch their teams play is like an exam. Afterwards, you feel like: “Okay, I learned again a new thing.” With Guardiola, you have the feeling that he wakes up every day with a new idea, and that idea is almost always right. He is a big influence on young coaches like me. 

It has been a big joy to see these two great coaches at work. I hope at some point that they meet again. That would be fun!

In my own career, everything went very fast. After becoming a professional at 16, I made my debut for the Turkish national team at 17. As well as Dortmund, I had played for Feyenoord, Real Madrid (above) and Liverpool by the time I was 23. Then I became a head coach at 33. I was always in the spotlight. 

After two and a half years with Antalyaspor, when the offer came from Dortmund, I really had to think for the first time. I didn’t see myself as an assistant coach.

I still don’t see myself as an assistant, because I want to be a head coach. But Borussia Dortmund is a different case for me. This is my club, my city and part of my own story. And the club was struggling, with problems in the first half of the season.

"for the first time in my career, i don't have the spotlight on me every weekend"

I had a few very good conversations with the coach, Edin Terzic. He is a good friend of mine, also very open-minded, and he helps me a lot. He gives me a lot of freedom, also. 

That was also part of the deal. Let’s say that there is a young coach, full of fire, full of energy. If you keep him back, I can’t help you. But Edin opened the doors so I could come here and work.

When the team played in Eindhoven in the Champions League last 16, I was standing next to Edin. Then the anthem played – I get goosebumps just thinking about it – and he said to me: “Welcome to the Champions League.” That was a dream come true. I set myself goals as a player and now as a coach. One tick on the bucket list is the Champions League.

Instead of being on the front row, though, for the first time in my career, as an assistant, I am watching more from the back. This can help me. I have been in professional football nearly 20 years, and it is the first time that I don’t have the spotlight on me every weekend.

I am learning so much. Now, I have so much more respect for my assistants, my analysts, the chef, the cleaning lady, you name them. Because when you’re in the spotlight, you don’t see everything. You have to see everything, but you don’t. 

That helps me right now. One day, though, for sure, I want to go back into management.

Author: Tony Hodson

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