The next few days passed in a blur of intensity.
The squad was actively integrating with the tactics of their new coach. Everyone is eager to find a place in Klopp's starting eleven. While some want to leave behind their role as bench warmers and seek a rise in status, main players want to keep their position and continue to be relevant in the squad.
In life, we are constantly competing with our peers. In the struggle to rise above the rest, some succeed, while some fail. This is the law of natural selection of society—the survival of the fittest.
People need to constantly adapt to their changing surroundings, or they will be eliminated as part of the evolution. When one stops trying to adapt, he will be naturally eliminated by the times.
The same situation applies in football too.
And in their collective bid to adapt to their circumstances, the whole Dortmund team transformed. This was not an overnight miracle, but a result of the collective effort and sweat.
Marco adapted faster than anyone. The reason was not only his talent and system assistance, but also for the reason that he knew the tactics beforehand. He had prepared for years in waiting for this moment.
Klopp also noticed this and was particularly impressed by this feat.
In a regular training session, he called Marco over and asked curiously:
"Reus, you've adapted to my tactics faster than anyone else. Why?"
Marco considered lying, but decided to be honest after seeing the look in the coach's eyes.
"I understand what you're trying to build, coach." He said carefully. "The pressing, intensity and collective defending, all makes perfect sense. I also feel very comfortable playing in the system."
Ofcourse, he is not going to say nonsensical things like he is a transmigrator and he has a system in his head.
"I have to say I am impressed. Most players resist change, hoping to produce results by relying on the already existing tactics and skills. It is good to see you are embracing the change instead of resisting it. If you keep this attitude, I am sure you will reach places."
"Thank you, coach."
"Also one more important thing. Marco, although you are only nineteen this year, you are one of the most valuable players in our squad. And due to your performance in the season so far, you are the focal point of the media, and even our players look up to you. But you don't have to carry the whole team alone, that's not your job. Trust your teammates, and let them help you, understand?"
Marco paused for a moment, and then replied: "understood."
Marco understood the coach's concern. There are players, who from their young age carried the whole team on their back, and fought their way through challenges. While this tale sounds very heroic and great, the truth is that the years of toil and strain will negatively destroy a whole career afterwards.
A famous example would be Fernando Torres. He debuted for Athletico Madrid senior team at the age of 17, and became club captain at the age of 19. At that time the club was going through some rough patches, like their historic relegation to la liga second division. Torres carried the whole team on his shoulders and became a literal 'teenage workhorse'.
For a striker who relied on his explosive pace and power, this put a massive burden on his fast twitch muscles of his undeveloped teenage body. Not to mention laliga in the early 2000s was physically punishing for young strikers.
Adding all these factors, his body began to break down during his late twenties, losing his explosive power to frequent injuries and knee surgeries. Reportedly he never reached the prime of his career, because he was constantly hindered by injuries.
Another famous example should be Michael Owen.
The conversation with Klopp ensured Marco that he is concerned with Marco's mental and physical health. It also highlighted his ability not just as coach, but also as leader.
* * *
The day revierderby, one of the greatest rivalries of bundesliga, has arrived.
Dortmund vs Schalke.
This derby, often called the mother of all derbies, surpassed even the Der Klassiker, which is the confrontation between Dortmund and Bayern, in terms of raw emotions and local stakes.
The word revier means 'mining district' which refers to the Ruhr valley, the industrial heartland of Germany, where both of the teams are located.
Both clubs, Dortmund and Schalke are located with extreme proximity, only about twenty miles apart. And due to this, supporters of both clubs are either acquaintances or coworkers with each other. Not to mention, both fans are working class, fiercely loyal and community oriented. And football here is not just a hobby—its their primary identity. Losing the derby means being mocked by another party for months.
Marco had played in one already this season. That was back in October, before Klopp arrived. Dortmund had won that match for a score of 2-0, due to two assists from Reus. Scarlett's father, a lifelong Schalke fan, hadn't spoken to her for three days after that match.
But this derby felt different.
This was Klopp's first derby. His first real test. They'd won two of three matches under him so far, but those were against mid-table teams. Schalke was different-- second place, with a quality squad and dangerous attackers.
*--*--*
The Veltins-Arena was a wall noise. More than 60,000 Schalke fans were creating noise with all their might, fully benefiting from the historic derby.
For a manager, this was the worst match to debut in. Even for a seasoned coach such games will give considerable pressure.
The atmosphere at the locker room was tense. Not only because of the significance of the match, but also because they knew they were not ready yet.
Klopp's tactics were amazing, his ideas were revolutionary. But the span of a single week is not enough to make anything substantial. If it were a normal match, the difficulty should not have been this high. Then again, it was out of their hands to decide the game schedule, or choosing a better day to fire a manager.
The noise from the boiling fortress was audible even from the closed locker room. Even the noise isolation was not enough.
At this moment Klopp walked to the center of the crowd, addressing them.
"Listen to me," he said, voice quieter than usual. He radiated an air of utmost seriousness. "Today will be hard. They're better than us right now. They're more organised, more experienced in their system."
He looked around at them.
"But here's what we have a lot more than they do: HUNGER. FIGHT. The willingness to RUN until our legs give out." He slammed his fist into his palm. "I don't care if we lose today. But what I care about is whether you have given everything you can, for this game. Every sprint, every tackle, every press—you have to fight for it, like your life is depending on it."
He pointed at Marco: "You set the tone, you press first, everyone follows."
Then at Hummels: "You organize the line, keep us compact. Dont let them exploit the space behind the line."
Then at Sebastian Kehl, who was the new favourite chosen by Klopp for his relentless aggression and fiery spirit: "Dont let them breathe, make them fear you."
Finally, at all of them:
"This is the beginning. Win or lose, this is where we start. Let's show them what Dortmund is set to become."