“I won’t make any more decisions,” claim’s Borussia Dortmund boss, Aki Watzke | OneFootball

According to a recent interview in Hamburg, long-time Borussia Dortmund boss Hans Joachim Watzke has stated he is no longer making any decisions in regard to Borussia Dortmund, the club he’s worked for in a professional capacity since 2001.

It’s a bold statement from the club’s highest-ranking official, who is not as well received at the club now as he was a decade ago. With Dortmund’s recent struggles, many have been calling for Watzke to leave, but the German is already poised to retire at the end of this season. While Watzke minimizes his influence on the club in interviews, the public opinion clashes with such sentiments.

Many fans indeed lost trust in the Dortmund boss following his work outside the club, such as his position within the German Football Association. He led a failed movement that would have seen investors recruited into the Bundesliga. He also became an Executive Committee Member of UEFA nearly two years ago. All while maintaining figurehead status at Borussia Dortmund.

Yet Watzke does claim to have taken a back seat to his chosen successor and club legend, Lars Ricken. It’s alleged that Ricken maintained authority in searching for Nuri Sahin’s replacement, landing on Niko Kovač after much deliberation. Watzke was only called by phone as the final step in the decision-making process, emphasizing that this was Lars Ricken’s decision.

But how much influence does the retiring Dortmund boss still exude? Are these statements merely an attempt to save face and protect Watzke’s public image? Or has he actually taken a step back, allowing his successor the autonomy he will be granted in future seasons?

Ricken has seemed to have made the difficult decisions, including Nuri Sahin’s dismissal, and the recent sacking of chief scout Sven Mislintat, but Watzke isn’t completely out of the picture. As Sky reports, he remains a force in Dortmund’s background, influencing decisions behind closed doors, and many in the club believe Watzke may try extending his influence by running for club president. Only time will tell.