Klopp can rebuild

Why Borussia Dortmund can continue to shrug off the exits of their star names under Jurgen Klopp.

They say the English like to build them up then knock them down. So perhaps it is appropriate that just as England falls in love with Borussia Dortmund the team is in danger of being torn apart once their UEFA Champions League adventure comes to an end at Wembley on Saturday. There's just one catch. With Jurgen Klopp on the bench, regeneration is one of the great strengths of this Dortmund squad. That can be a tricky business. A year ago, Athletic Bilbao were the hipsters' club of choice with their intense pressing and Marcelo Bielsa's brooding presence on the touchline. And yet, with Fernando Llorente set to follow Javi Martinez out of San Mames they already feel like old news. Now it is the charismatic Klopp making Jose Mourinho look like the Jaded One. But while the British public have only truly embraced all things BVB during their brilliant run to this year's final, their story began some time ago. Klopp took over as coach in 2008 and presided over a steady improvement against the backdrop of financial problems with sixth and fifth-place finishes in his first two seasons before leading the club to back-to-back Bundesliga titles. The first of those crowns was won with Nuri Sahin as the heartbeat of the team. The Turkish playmaker was the prompter who made Dortmund tick with his vision and incisive passing from deep - grabbing eight assists and creating an average of 3.5 chances per game, more than any other player in German football. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that Klopp built his side around the young midfielder. And then he was gone. Snapped up by the behemoth that is Real Madrid in the summer of 2011. No matter. Dortmund shrugged off the loss and improved. Ilkay Gundogan arrived from Nurnberg and, with the help of Sebastien Kehl, the transition was an easy one for Dortmund. To quote Brian Clough, they managed to "win it better". Shinji Kagawa came to the fore with 13 goals and eight assists as the team lost just three games all season. Last summer it was Kagawa's turn to leave - lured to the Premier League by another European heavyweight in the form of Manchester United. And yet, it is Dortmund who are at Wembley. Just as Sir Alex Ferguson predicted back in February. "The dark horse is definitely Dortmund," said the veteran boss. "I don't think they are paying too much attention to the league. Their concentration is on the European Cup and their European form has been very good."

Scare

So it proved. After helping oust Manchester City in the group stage, Dortmund survived a huge scare against Malaga to eliminate Real Madrid in the semi-final. Crucially, the team appeared to have learnt from their disappointing first campaign in the Champions League. No ageing stars were brought in. Instead, Klopp's young team were empowered and have evolved as a result. Marco Reus was signed last summer to replace Kagawa and has been an unqualified success. Klopp's words upon signing him from Borussia Monchengladbach are telling. "In football there is only one principle, and that is not based on transfer fees, but on performances," he explained. "We have paid €17million for him and he is worth the money. We want to help him become the player we see in him, who will be better than the one at Monchengladbach." This idea of making good players better is at the heart of Klopp's philosophy. The team is everything and that is what brings the best out of the individual. And so it