"The players haven’t forgotten how to play football," said Tullberg during his pre-match presser

FanSided World Football

·24. Januar 2025

"The players haven’t forgotten how to play football," said Tullberg during his pre-match presser

U19 trainer Mike Tullberg has stepped into the managerial position of Borussia Dortmund’s squad, albeit temporarily. Mike learned of his call-up Tuesday night following Borussia Dortmund’s loss to Bologna in the Champions League. The players were given Wednesday off before their training under Tillberg began Thursday. The Danish manager has had little time to prepare for the upcoming match, but his philosophy is clear as day:

"“I had to decide what approach to take for this short period. The players haven’t forgotten how to play football. For me, it’s about bringing energy into the team so they can play freely tomorrow. It’s a huge difference whether you work with a team long-term or over a short period. Right now, it’s about creating energy and freedom. I’ve had a lot of conversations, and they were well-received. I have a good feeling about the players. In the end, every one of them can deliver what I ask of them. If mistakes happen, we fix them – but we fix them at full sprint, with spit flying and a knife between our teeth. That’s what I want to see. And if the fans see that, then we’ll have 81,000 against 11. That has to be the standard.”"Mike Tullberg

These strong words exemplify the expectations of Borussia Dortmund and their fans, not to mention the Dane’s own beliefs. When pressed on his tactical approach and the personnel who will play under his tutelage, he stated:

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"“I’ll field the players who are ready. Everyone has a responsibility and must ask themselves what they can do for the team. We won’t sit back. If the players feel we need to play vertically, then we’ll play vertically.""Mike Tullberg

When asked if his players were fit enough, Tullberg admirably cut the reporter’s question short:

"“I don’t want to interrupt, but starting with things like that – those are just excuses. We don’t need excuses. I need players who are ready to march. And if they can’t run anymore, they need to tell me, and I’ll sub them out. I can make five substitutions, so we’ll manage to march for 90 minutes.”"Mike Tullberg

Tullberg’s press conference ended with him addressing the pressure associated with coaching such a big club while reiterating his confidence and expectations for Saturday's match against Werder Bremen:

"“I can fully enjoy this. Pressure is something else in life. But this isn’t about me – it’s about the team. The task now is to win on Saturday. We all believe in it. It’s about us. We don’t need to make ourselves smaller than we are. We have a clear expectation to win. We have a clear plan for how we want to achieve that, and the players will understand it.”"Mike Tillberg

There's reason to be optimistic in Dortmund. Whether the Black-and-Yellows win, lose, or draw this weekend is yet to be determined, but the squad seems to be in good hands with Mike Tillberg, at least in the short term.