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Nuri Sahin was quickly promoted to the position of Dortmund coach. His tenure is also rapidly falling apart

Nuri Sahin was quickly promoted to the position of Dortmund coach. His tenure is also rapidly falling apart

Nuri Sahin always acted quickly. At the age of 16, he broke the record as the youngest player in Bundesliga history. He is 36 years old and is the coach of Borussia Dortmund, last season’s Champions League runner-up.

Just 13 games into his tenure and he too is falling apart quickly.

Sahin and Dortmund will face Leipzig on Saturday. The coach’s future is in doubt after three straight defeats in all competitions – five away – and the squad is plagued by injuries.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the club and as a coach I have a responsibility,” Sahin told broadcaster Sky. Dortmund’s board publicly supports Sahin, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl urging the club to “stand together” in the face of adversity.

In addition to results, there are other factors to consider.

Sahin has faced criticism for the way Dortmund lost to Real Madrid, from a 2-0 lead to a 5-2 defeat – especially the decision to add an extra defender just before Madrid’s comeback – but few teams even achieve a 2-0 lead in Madrid in first place.

How well Dortmund should play is also up for debate. The team arguably did better, reaching the Champions League final last season and finishing fifth in the Bundesliga. Being seventh in the table does not mean a drastic drop – at least not yet.

Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin looks at the future of the Bundesliga...

Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin observes the Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at the WWK-Arena in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, October 26, 2024. Source: AP/Matthias Schrader

Then there’s the injury list. On Tuesday, Sahin played in the starting lineup for the match against Wolfsburg, with two midfielders replacing injured defenders. His options on the bench were limited to reserve players and Marcel Sabitzer, who was playing with a back injury.

Sacking Sahin at such short notice could perhaps backfire on Dortmund’s board, who rushed to progress when Edin Terzic resigned after the Champions League final.

It is unclear how or why Dortmund’s relationship with its most successful coach in years collapsed, although an apparent fallout with defender Mats Hummels, who was also allowed to leave the club in the summer, clearly played a role.

Some fans wonder whether Dortmund could have done more to salvage their relationship with Terzic, or whether the club needed more time to consider other coaching options.

Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin (right) talks to teammate Nico…

Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin (right) talks to teammate Nico Schlotterbeck at the end of the Champions League opening stage football match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Real Madrid won 5-2 . Source: AP/Manu Fernandez

Still, Sahin’s potential seemed clear.

Inspired by Dortmund great Jürgen Klopp, Sahin took his first steps after injury during his playing days at Dortmund and in his spare time he coached the ninth-tier club in his hometown.

Spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool allowed him to see up close how other top clubs operate, and at the age of 33 he became a top-flight coach for the first time at Antalyaspor in Turkey, a role he left to become Terzic’s assistant. again in Dortmund.

Also this weekend, Vincent Kompany can keep Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga – despite difficulties in Europe – when his team hosts Union Berlin on Saturday. Champion Bayer Leverkusen will host Stuttgart on Friday.