Key Takeaways
- Nils-Ole Book joins Borussia Dortmund from German second-tier side SV Elversberg.
- He wants to improve the team’s attack while keeping their strong defence.
- The 40-year-old has a special release clause that allowed him to join his childhood club.
Nils-Ole Book grew up in Beckum, just 30 minutes from Dortmund. As a child, he loved watching the club’s famous yellow and black shirts. Now, the 40-year-old has joined Borussia Dortmund as their new sporting director.
Book built his career at SV Elversberg in the 2. Bundesliga. He helped the club succeed in the Saarland region. However, he always dreamed of working in Germany’s top division. He had a special contract clause that let him leave for Dortmund.
“I always wanted to work in the Bundesliga,” Book explained. “When you work hard and succeed, this goal becomes real. I did not want any contract to stop me from joining this special club. The president at Elversberg knew this could happen.”
Book arrived during a difficult time at Dortmund. Sebastian Kehl had just left his post. But Book prefers to focus on work rather than drama. He has kept quiet and started learning about the club.
“Work comes first,” he said. “The first days include meetings and press talks. You cannot give big interviews when you still need to learn about the job. At Elversberg, we needed time to build success. Here, there are more staff and different systems. I must learn the new ways.”
Book already enjoys a strong relationship with manager Niko Kovač. He will also work with club legends Lars Ricken and Matthias Sammer. Together, they plan to keep the team’s strong core and add new talent.
Dortmund has enjoyed a good Bundesliga season. They qualified for the Champions League early. The team has a strong defence and conceded few goals. However, Book believes the attack needs more creativity.
“We have a very stable base,” he said. “Niko joined at a tough time but made the team strong. Now we want to build on this success. We can improve our attacking play. We have time in the transfer market to find the right players. The coaching staff can also prepare well during the summer.”
Book believes the players are ready to improve. He thinks winning games at Dortmund will motivate them to do even better. His new chapter at the Westfalenstadion has just started.