Episode 21 Bert van Marwijk "I dreamt of playing on the other side of the river" BVB head-coach 2004-6, current UEA headcoach

Borussia Dortmund Fan Club London - The Podcast

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of B​orussia Dortmund's life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life.

People like players, fans and journalists who have covered the club and decision-makers and experts who know the world of all our club well.

The aim of the podcast is to make this wonderful football club more accessible to non-German speakers. The podcast may also be of interest to German football fans who want to learn or practice English.

On today's show, the interview guest is the current coach of the United Arab Emirates national team Bert van Marwijk who managed BVB between 2004-06.

We apologise in advance for the minor sound unevenness of the recording.

Bert had an active career in Holland and Belgium playing 468 professional matches and scoring 72 goals with clubs including AZ Alkmaar and Fortuna Sittard between 1969 and 1988.

As a coach Bert has managed clubs including Feyenoord and Hamburger SV as well as the national teams of Saudia Arabia, Australia, the Netherlands and his current team the UAE.

On the show Bert spoke about his active playing career, highlights of his life as a coach including winning the UEFA Cup in 2002, managing Dortmund through a challenging the radical financial restructuring of 2005, managing the Netherlands national team at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

1. Childhood and active career in the Eredivisie in Holland, winning the KNVB Cup in 1978, call-up to the Netherlands team, playing in Belgium.

2. Stations of his first years as a coach with clubs including MVV and Fortuna Sittard. The UEFA campaign of 2002 the route to the final via Glasgow Rangers, Inter and Eindhoven, the experience of the 'unforgettable' final at Rotterdam v BVB.

3. Appointed head-coach at Borussia Dortmund, a club on the edge €130m in debt, 'no money for players', discovering and giving Nuri Sahin his debut at 15, that Ebi Smolarek factor, why Tomas Rosicky will always be the player of his generation.

4. A near-miss with Trevor Brooking at West Ham United, seconds away from signing at Upton Park, House-hunting in London 'the weather was an issue, It never stopped raining', ongoing fascination with the Premier League and friendship with Carlo Ancelloti and impressions of Anfield.

5. Prospects for BVB's Young Generation, review and impressions of the quality of the Dortmund current team, Dortmund's pressure points and challenges including why the defence is BVB's number one stumbling block at the moment for any new coach.

6. Life on the sidelines, advice and tips on how to manage and coach a team, insights into the job of managing a team. Bundesliga friends and regular visits to the Westfalenstadion, why 'Dortmund will always be very special'...

We hope you enjoy the show, remember to send us your comments, share the show with friends and to apply for tickets contact the club via the website which is borussiadortmundlondon.co.uk or join the London BvB community at our online group at Facebook.com/borussiadortmundfanclubengland. During the season you can also come to watch a game at our meet-up Stammtisch at the Naughty Bar, just off Oxford Street, in Cleveland street central London. All rights reserved Borussia Dortmund London Ltd 2020.