New Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac expressed confidence that his squad possesses the quality needed to reshape their season, building on the team’s recent performances under interim coach Mike Tulberg.

Kovac was appointed as the new manager of Dortmund on Sunday, taking over from Nuri Sahin, who was dismissed following a streak of four losses across all competitions.

During Tulberg’s interim management, the team recorded two victories and a draw in three matches, successfully progressing to the Champions League play-offs.

Kovac is set to make his debut in charge of Dortmund this Saturday, facing Stuttgart at home in the Bundesliga.

“The last three matches have been promising. The team clearly has the necessary quality. In my opinion, this squad is quite strong. A lot depends on confidence. There was a challenging period not long ago, but the last three matches have been impressive,” Kovac stated, as reported by beIN Sports.

“Mike did a commendable job, and we all appreciate his efforts. The players experienced the joy of winning, which is vital for boosting confidence. As players, you need that positivity; what happened in the past is no longer relevant. What matters now and in the future is what we focus on,” added the 53-year-old coach.

Currently, Dortmund sits in 11th place in the Bundesliga standings.

“This is a crucial home match against Stuttgart. We aim to win and take decisive steps to elevate Dortmund back to its rightful place at the top,” Kovac remarked.

Kovac acknowledged the difficulties of taking over mid-season and emphasized his goal of instilling confidence within the squad.

“It’s evident that this is not an ideal scenario, but one cannot always count on summer or winter training camps. We don’t intend to reinvent the wheel. The players are already well-acquainted with many concepts. What’s vital is to build their confidence, as every player requires that,” he further explained.

Since his dismissal from Wolfsburg last March due to a series of unfavorable outcomes, Kovac has been seeking a new opportunity.

Throughout his coaching career, he has managed Eintracht, Bayern Munich—where he secured both the league title and the Cup in the 2018/2019 season—and Monaco. He also led the Croatian national team and the Croatian youth national team.

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