Van Marwijk joins Dortmund
ByReuters
Published 01/06/2004 at 13:15 GMT
Bert van Marwijk was appointed Borussia Dortmund coach on Tuesday, replacing Matthias Sammer. The 1997 European champions said the 52-year-old Dutchman, formerly with Feyenoord, had signed a two-year contract. Dortmund parted company with Sammer on Sunday
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Sammer was named VfB Stuttgart coach on Monday. He replaces Felix Magath, who has moved on to Bayern Munich, taking over from Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Van Marwijk's finest coaching moment came at Dortmund's expense, when Feyenoord beat the Bundesliga side 3-2 in the 2002 UEFA Cup final, staged at the Rotterdam club's own De Kuip arena.
"My plan is to work hard and have fun," Van Marwijk told a news conference in Dortmund.
"Dortmund is a club with a great tradition and so many fans. I'm used to that with Feyenoord but, in that respect, Dortmund is like Feyenoord's big brother."
ATTACKING FOOTBALL
The Dutchman with a taste for fluent, attacking football will be asked to help Dortmund restore pride. The club face severe financial difficulties after missing out on millions this season following failure at home and in Europe.
"We are very glad he accepted the job," said Dortmund president Gerd Niebaum. "He has an excellent reputation in Europe. With him, a new era is starting."
Bayern's traditional rivals, Dortmund have won six German titles. The club from a grey city in Germany's depressed industrial heartland have the most faithful fans in the country.
More than 80,000 often pack the Westfalen stadium, the largest arena in Germany, for league games.
Former Germany defender Sammer had been at the club since 1993 and was a playing member of the Dortmund side that lifted the European Cup in 1997.
The 36-year-old became Dortmund coach in 2000 and guided the Ruhr Valley club to the Bundesliga title in 2002.
Ruud Gullit, who captained the Netherlands to the European championship title in 1988, will take over from Van Marwijk at Feyenoord.
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