When Michael Zorc is adopted by the audience on Saturday in the Dortmund Westfalenstadion, not only an era comes to an end. Zorc’s farewell is the end of a story that will never exist again.

44 years in the service of an association. His ball game club, whose fan he was as a boy, in whose youth he played, whose professional team he led to titles. His skill he steered back to the top as a manager and BVBs director.

When Zorc played his first Bundesliga game for Borussia Dortmund in 1981, I still go to school. Football plays a big role in my life, since I play with great passion and less great skills. I have been BVB fan since the club’s Bundesliga return in 1976. However, because my own kicking has priority, I mainly follow the games in the “BVBschau” and in the “kicker”, not yet regularly in the stands.

I quickly become aware of “Susi”, as he is called because of his curly splendor, when I started to go to the stadium more often in the mid -1980s. However, if someone had predicted that this Schlaks with number 8 in midfield would play a formative role in our club for more than four decades, I would have probably declared it stupid. But everything that has happened since then is closely connected to Michael Zorc or would not have been possible without him.

“When we entered the stadium, a shower ran over our backs”

Zorc, born in Dortmund, came to BVB as a youth player from the small local club TuS Eving-Lindenhorst, enjoys high reputation in the club, also and especially among fans. After all, he himself was one who went to the Rote Earth and later to the Westfalenstadion with his father Dieter. In 1988 “Susi” became captain of Borussia, he replaces Frankie Mill. It is a phase in which Dortmund is preparing to revive the shine of past days.

He is reserved to lead his team to the DFB Cup final in Berlin in 1989. A memorable day for all Borussia. “When we entered the stadium, a shower ran down our backs-only black and yellow. 500 kilometers from home came to the stadium. Unimaginable,” says Zorc later.

BVB wins this game against Werder Bremen as an outsider, it is the first title of the club for 23 years, the first since the European Cup winner in 1966. When Zorc stretched the trophy into Berlin, I see many seasoned men in the Olympic Stadium Crying around me of joy and emotion.

“For me, a childhood dream came true today”

It is one of the many turning points in the eventful history of this club. Borussia Dortmund “is again”, kicks on the European stage, strives for higher things in the Bundesliga. In 1992 the club became a German champion, on the last match day there are only four minutes for the big hit.

He follows three years later, with Michael Zorc in the leading role. The midfielder contributes 15 goals that season, he is the best BVB shooter in the 1994/95 season.

On June 17, 1995, Borussia went second in the last matchday against HSV, the leader Werder Bremen has to go to Munich. On this slightly rainy June day, I stand with 35,000 people on Dortmund Friedensplatz and stare at a huge screen. “Public viewing”, long before this term even exists.

We see historical: Bavaria beats Bremen, we the HSV. 32 years after the last win of the shell, Borussia Dortmund is again German champion. A city explodes. When I see the tears of our coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and the overwhelming joy of our players, I am also one of these men in black and yellow, the cry.

with the roar of a starting jet hunter

Michael Zorc says quietly into the television cameras: “For me, a childhood dream came true today. I don’t really want to say more.” So, it is reserved to the outside world, but behind this facade full of emotions, which he, too, cannot always hide. On that championship day they are written in his face.

Dortmund is now swimming on a wave of success, defending the title in 1996 and moving into the Champions League final a year later. At this point, Zorc is no longer playing a leading role, but May 27, 1997 is also inextricably linked to his name.

When BVB leads 3-1 against the house -high favorite Juventus Turin shortly before the end of the game, the curve begins to call “Susi, Susi, Susi”.

Not only the fans want to see their idol. I still see in front of myself how the replacement players gather wildly towards Hitzfeld a few meters in front of my eyes. When he changes him for Andreas Möller, stadium spokesman Nobby Dickel’s tension can be felt when he says in an almost overlay voice: “… with number eight Michaeeleel…”. With the roar of a starting jet hunter, half the stadium “Zorc.” In capital letters because it was so loud and so moving!

with 572 games is Michael Zorc’s record player from Borussia Dortmund

At the cup handover, Zorc is only adorned, but the comrades naturally send their long -time captain to take the Henkelpot. “The team also has a feel for gestures,” says RTL commentator Marcel Reif.

Zorc crowns the last year of his player career with the winning of the World Cup in Tokyo, in the final against Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte he shoots the decisive 1-0 against the Brazilians.

In the summer of 1999 he got a farewell game that he does justice to him. Over 40,000 people would like to thank the man, who is still a record player in his club with 572 games. Only Adi Preißler (“Gray is all theory, crucial is a place”) has scored more goals for BVB.

from the square to the desk – a tedious process

Zorc changes job, but not the club. He moves into management and his first transfer will be an absolute hit: Dédé, the famous right -back and fine guy, who was supposed to stay in Dortmund for 13 years. This obligation follows difficult years for Dortmund. President Gerd Niebaum and manager Michael Meier threw the money out with both hands to the window, led the club to the stock exchange to get freshness – and everything gambles: the BVB is in front of the bankruptcy.

New Milestones EP 12: vlog about the mind, Jozef rulof, suicide and my unpublished book.
The primal borus is not one that goes off on board in difficult times, he rolls up his sleeves on the square as before. Helps with reconstruction. It is a tedious process, he first has to get used to the fact that the supporters are no longer only wearing him. There is criticism, often unjustified and under the belt line. Zorc does not complain about it, but it is noticeable to him how much this affects him. It looks thin -skinned in those years, but he swims free.

ZORCS most important transfer

In the summer of 2008 he succeeds his most important transfer. It is not a player, but coach Jürgen Klopp. He carefully ventilates the club, giving BVB a new image. Already after the second year Zorc says about the man, to whom he gives a dog puppy called “Emma”: “Jürgen is a stroke of luck for Borussia Dortmund. He can euphorize people and positively influence people. He is also an excellent football teacher and has already shown in Mainz that he works sustainably. “

The outcome of the story with titles and a Champions League final is known. Klopp stays for eight years, half an eternity in the modern football business.

BVB manager Zorc developed a golden hand in those years. Players like Shinji Kagawa, Sven Bender and others are fetched cheaply and sold expensive. Many of his transfers fit perfectly like Lucas Barrios or Robert Lewandoski, the later world footballer. Others also prove to be human as wonderful reinforcements such as Neven Subotic, Jakub “Kuba” Błaszczykowski or Lukas “Piszczu” Piszczek.

final chapter of a memorable history

From the man, about whom Uli Hoeneß spotted so badly (“When Mr. Zorc gets up, I have long since had breakfast”), the longest -serving manager in the league becomes. When he actually wants to retire, a certain pandemic crosses his plans, which also poses problems for BVB.

Zorc remains on the command bridge, unlike planned. On May 14, 2022, however, this chapter also concludes with a bouquet of flowers and a lot of applause.

In order to classify this memorable moment, I allow myself to quote myself. “Today it seems like an evil fairy tale that the current BVBs director was a controversial figure a few years ago. Zorc looked into the abyss with all of us, but he did not only pull himself out of the affair in an admirable manner Because Borussia Dortmund has its proverbial “and you always like” mentality with new life. “

Ulrich Vonstein

© rtl