Hecking: "It doesn't have to be a spectacle"

Several former title-winning players at Borussia Mönchengladbach have recently found the need to issue a few words of warning. In the lead-up to Gladbach's trip to TSG Hoffenheim (today at 15:30 CET, Live Ticker at achtzehn99.de), the expectations surrounding the second-placed side in the league have skyrocketed and there has even been talk of the title. This has prompted stars of bygone eras such as Horst Köppel and Alan Simonsen to make an effort to take some of the pressure off Dieter Hecking's team's shoulders. "I think it's premature to be talking about first position, a race with Dortmund or even the title," warned Horst Köppel. "First of all, we need to give the coach and his team a year for everything to be put in place. Then you can always target more."

Dieter Hecking, who together with sporting director Max Eberl has been the mastermind behind this successful side, will be given that further year to develop a team that is already a formidable force. Only recently the 54-year-old Hecking, who took over the reins in 2016, extended his contract by a further year until 2020. The level-headed tactician has worked meticulously and calmly to transform the club, which has only narrowly missed out on qualification for European football the last two seasons, into one of the Bundesliga's leading lights - with a clear transfer policy and a versatile style of football that has seen them claim seven wins out of seven at home. The Lower Rhine outfit's results have been so stable that qualification for the Champions League is already a realistic target. "The Champions League would be fantastic," said Simonsen, adding: "The lads have all the necessary qualities: they can defend, attack and play patiently too." Older Gladbach fans feel reminded of those days in the Foals' history when they claimed five German titles playing a spectacular brand of attacking football.

However, that prudence and patience have been in short supply in recent meetings with TSG. Incredibly, there have been 50 goals in the 10 meetings since 2014 – by some distance the most of any fixture for Gladbach. The goal tally is matched only by the mutual respect between the clubs. "We're up against a very good team that master all aspects of football. TSG Hoffenheim have all the qualities you need to be a top team in Germany," praised Hecking, who subsequently added: "But we can go there full of self-confidence." For Hecking, the result takes priority over the entertainment value. "Yes, they have always been entertaining games for the fans. But it doesn't have to be a spectacle for me this time, a 1-0 would be fine for me." But in Gladbach too, they would prefer a 4-3 to a victory with a single goal. Prior to the clash with TSG, the Rheinische Post wrote that Borussia Mönchengladbach and TSG Hoffenheim have the same DNA: they both want to be successful by playing attractive football.

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