Dortmund's boss Terzic and lifelong fan is ready to take down Newcastle again
When Borussia Dortmund blew the Bundesliga title on the final day of last season, the disappointment was felt back at their manager Edin Terzic’s former club West Ham.
‘He’s got a love for that club that is pretty similar to me at West Ham,’ former Hammers captain and now sporting director Mark Noble said of Dortmund fan-turned-boss Terzic.
‘It means a little bit more to him. The losses will mean more, the wins will mean more. He probably doesn’t get much sleep at night thinking about it.
‘I was gutted when they didn’t win the league, for him, because it would have been pretty special.’
Dortmund’s 2-2 draw against Mainz saw them miss out on a first league title since 2012 on goal difference, opening the door for Bayern Munich to become champions again.
Terzic’s side suffered at the hands of their old rivals again on Saturday, as Harry Kane’s hat-trick inspired Bayern to a 4-0 win in Der Klassiker, Dortmund’s first league loss of the season.
But Newcastle will know what Terzic and his side are capable of after Eddie Howe’s side were subdued at St James’ Park by Dortmund last month in a manner few visiting sides have managed.
Dortmund’s eye-catching performance in the 1-0 win masterminded by Terzic may not have surprised those who worked with him as a young coach at West Ham.
‘I am sure he will be one of the most prominent coaches in Europe,’ former West Ham manager Slaven Bilic once predicted.
In 2012, Bilic first tried but failed to tempt Terzic — a scout and academy coach reporting to Jurgen Klopp back then — to join him at Lokomotiv Moscow. Terzic eventually became Bilic’s assistant at Besiktas and West Ham.
He first impressed Bilic with his analysis of Croatia’s group-stage opponents Ireland at Euro 2012. Bilic did not forget
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