Borussia Dortmund will carry forward the energy instilled by Mike Tullberg under new coach Niko Kovac, sporting director Sebastian Kehl has promised. (More Sports News)
Tullberg took over as interim head coach after Nuri Sahin was sacked last month, amid a ๊poor run of results that saw Dortmund tumble into the bottomᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ half of the Bundesliga table.
After confiꦺrmation that former Bayern Munich boss Kovac would take over from Sunday, Tullberg ended his spell in the dugout with a 2-1 win at Heidenheim on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after th🌳at game, Kehl thanked Tullberg and his staff for changing the mood at the Westfalenstadion.
"We have now picked up four points in the league, even though we were outnumbered for 70 minutes in the 2-2 draw wi𝕴🔴th Bremen a week ago," Kehl said.
"We deserved to win today, even 💃if there were phases in the second half in which things were a bit more unsettled. The goal for 2-1 was unnecessary. Nonetheless, the team put up a fight.
"The three points will do us a world of go൩od. We're still in the mix. It's extremely tight in the table.
"The coaching staff have tried to be positive and to give the♚ team energy. We've earned the results. A bit of the lightness came back too.
"But the path must remain the same, and it will not change under Nico K🀅ovac. We neཧed to work hard on ourselves and earn the results. It's all still to play for."
Serhou Guira🦩ssy and Maximilian Beier were on target in Saturday's win, with the former also having netted twice in Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
He is the joint-leading goalscorer in this season's Champions League alongside Robert Lewandowski (nine goals) and has struck in four consecutive B𒐪undesliga matches.
Tullber💃g, who first joined Dortmund as head coach of their reserve team in 2019 before coaching their under-19 side, appeared emotional at the final whistle on Saturday.
As Tullberg prepares to return to that🌃 role, he said: "The club means a lot to me.
"You can see that emotional outbreak at the under-19 matcheꦉs as well, but not too many people watch those!
"It does not matter in which role, I am just happy to be able to work at Bor🌳ussia Dortmund."
Dortmund𝐆 are now 10th in the ꦑBundesliga table with 29 points from 20 games, four adrift of the top four.
