A Look Into The Rise Of Union Berlin (Conclusion) : The Boat That Has Two Captains... Doesn't Sink

This statement is fulfilled when the two presidents complete each other's work, and when each of them is aware of what is assigned to him. In order for this team to achieve what it has achieved, there was another man who provided exceptional work alongside Oliver, and that is certainly Urs Fischer, the team coach, the man who cares more about the solidity of the team's tactical structure and teamwork than the names.

Perhaps that's why the departure of any player did not affect the team, and the substitutes quickly blended in record time. To put things in perspective, Fischer used 76 different players in his five years with Union, without affecting his team in any way.

Fischer won the Swiss league title twice with FC Basel before coming to Union, a title the team has not won since then. However, that was not his most notable stop, but rather the stop before with "FC Thun," which convinced Union officials that this man is capable of making a difference with simple tools.

With "FC Thun," Fischer was able to lead the team to the group stages of the Europa League for the first time in its history. Although he won the league title twice with Basel, the season he won the coach of the year award was the 2014-2015 season, in which he achieved fourth place with "FC Thun," the best position the team has achieved since the 2004-2005 season when they finished second.

Ors does not raise his lines and press with high intensity like coaches of the German school such as Klopp and Ralph Rangnick, and perhaps he does not play the most attractive football in the possession phase like the proponents of the positional play philosophy such as Pep Guardiola and Dieter Zerbe.

However, he is capable of creating a concrete defensive system with the lowest quality available, which is what his teams in Switzerland, Zurich, Basel, and Fc Thun, have been characterized by.

The situation did not differ much with Union, as it is the second least team to concede goals in the Bundesliga so far, which is the same statistic in which the team finished third last season, and fifth in the 2020-2021 season. Only some names have changed, but the structure under Fisher was gaining strength and solidity!

What's also amazing is that the team has ranked the same when it comes to shots received. This is surprising because Fischer is not a possession-based coach. Union Berlin's highest average possession in Fischer's four seasons in the Bundesliga was 44.7%, which means the team defends for longer periods and defends in lower areas more than possession-based teams like Bayern, Dortmund, and Leipzig. However, in the end, they receive slightly more shots than those teams.

This is, of course, due to the team's tight structure behind the ball, in a 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 formation that is very difficult to penetrate. The secret, of course, is not in the formation itself, but in the team's harmony of movement, like one body, and their continuous closing of gaps resulting from the dynamics of the game, with running rates that exceed their opponents by 5 kilometers on average per match.

Union Berlin is truly a case worth studying, as the team faced numerous difficulties that many expected would not leave it unscathed, yet it emerged from each challenge with a more inspiring story than the last. Even their journey in the Bundesliga was initially thought to be a mere fluke that would end with the temporary motivations running out, but Union surprised everyone by being a team that never stops dreaming and renewing their motivations.

A project that succeeded with all the factors of success, with wise management, a sports director with an expert scout's eye, a coach and players with limitless ambition, and behind them all, a unique fan base that sharpens their spirits. A group of dreamers came together in one place at the same time, pledging that their dreams would not have virtual lifespans, and that the story would not have an ending except the one that exceeds everyone's imagination.

We often hear stories of success and stories of loyalty, but this is not like those stories. This is a story that you're unlikely to see again, at least in real life. A story that only lacks a suitable soundtrack to turn it into a huge cinematic production, where all the elements of the perfect epic that captivate the audience's heart are realized; the dramatic construction, the plot, and the happy ending.

A story that makes everyone who watches it rise from their seat, and applaud at the end, but the fact that this story actually happened gives it a special charm and spirit of its own. A story that makes your body shiver when you hear it, the story of the fans who spared no effort for the club they love, even if it cost them their lives.