Ole Book has not forgotten his long-standing club. “After our win, I’ll take a quick look at how Elversberg played. And then I’m happy too,” said Borussia Dortmund’s squad architect recently after the 3-2 win at Hoffenheim. BVB and the furious Saarlanders each have six points and are suddenly both ahead of series champions FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
On Tuesday evening (9 p.m./Prime Video) this look at the smartphone will not be necessary. Because while Dortmund and Book welcome the Spanish FC Villarreal at the start of the new Champions League season, SV Elversberg - despite the two surprising league victories at the start - has of course not yet made it into the premier class.
“A little more free time” for Book
Five and a half months after taking office, Book is about to make his debut in the highest European club competition - and has become the secret hero of the summer in Dortmund. “It was a really good collaboration. 24/7 - I don't even know if he took a day's vacation. He should take it in the next few days or maybe weeks,” said coach Niko Kovac about his sports director.
Book seems relieved that the transfer phase, characterized by the commitments of top talent Konstantinos Karetsas (18 years old), his Greek compatriot Giannis Konstantelias (23) and midfield organizer Joey Veerman (27), is over. But he's not thinking about vacation at the moment. “Now we have a game every three days, and I’m really looking forward to that,” said Book. At least the 40-year-old admitted that he would have a little more free time in the coming weeks.
Almost nine years in Spiesen-Elversberg
In the first few weeks of the Bundesliga you can see how Book has built two strong Bundesliga squads. Also that of newly promoted Elversberg, who, with the professionals brought in by Book, stunned Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach one after the other.
«I was sure that Elversberg could surprise one or two people because they have repeatedly shone with offensive football in recent years. “I wouldn’t have thought that it would be right at the start of the season twice in a row,” said Book about the Bundesliga newcomer, for whom he worked between 2017 and March 2026. Then his favorite club from Dortmund called and entrusted him with the successor to Sebastian Kehl.
Arsenal gem comes at the last minute
So far, the BVB decision-makers around managing director Lars Ricken have not regretted this decision. Karetsas and Veerman seem to fit Dortmund's profile perfectly. And to Konstantelias' months-long absence after his cruciate ligament tear, Book and Ricken quickly responded by loaning Arsenal gem Ethan Nwaneri, who initiated the decisive 3-2 win in the big comeback at Hoffenheim.
«We are convinced that he has great qualities. He has already proven that today - and he will continue to prove it," said Kovac about the 19-year-old, who he brought in as a joker three days after his signing. Kovac was full of praise for Book and his work in the past few weeks. “It was definitely a hell of a lot of work for him,” said Kovac.
The internal climate is said to have improved significantly since Book succeeded Kehl. Ricken and Book also get along great. «Big compliments to Ole, who has already proven that in Elversberg. Just because it was the second division doesn't mean you can't do it just as well at Borussia Dortmund - quite the opposite," said Ricken in Sinsheim.
From league three to the Champions League
All commitments were made out of full conviction “and not out of activism,” added Ricken. «We are happy with the players we have and very happy with the players we were able to keep. But our work is only beginning now,” explained Book, who speaks in a calm voice and appears organized. A little more than four years ago he was still racing through the regional league with Elversberg, now he is steering his heart's club through football in Europe.
The old squad was already enough for a confident second place in the Bundesliga. There is plenty of room for improvement in knockout games, where Dortmund were eliminated in the DFB Cup in the round of 16 (against Leverkusen) and in the Champions League in the playoffs (against Atalanta Bergamo). This year's mission in the premier class against Villarreal should start with a sense of success.
