Lars Ricken on Borussia Dortmund’s administrative restructuring: “We don’t need the ‘committee zoo’.” | OneFootball

Like everyone else associated with Borussia Dortmund, sporting director Lars Ricken found himself both relieved and ecstatic after yesterday evening’s big Bundesliga win. In a post-match-interview with Sky Germany, the 48-year-old also commented on the club’s recent administrative restructuring. Ricken made reference to the specific German word used to describe Dortmund’s persistent problems.

The common German complaint that Dortmund are plagued by the “too many bosses” problem has been alleviated slightly. Although Ricken and Sebastian Kehl still serve as co-sporting directors – a rare arrangement in German football front offices – the dismissal of squad planner Sven Mislintat earlier this month lightened the load. Moreover, Ricken suggested, new head coach Niko Kovac isn’t involved to the extent predecessor Nuri Sahin was.

Ricken used the German word “Elefantenrunde”, which literally translates to “elephant round”. The phrase – generally used to refer to an unproductive meeting of bureaucratic or political heavyweights – has no direct English equivalent. The expression originates from the manner in which elephants tribally congregate and is most often used to describe national political debates.

While the idiom doesn’t necessarily have negative connotations, it certainly can be used in a derogatory fashion. Germans sometimes employ snark when noting that a summit of heavyweight personalities produces nothing more than a bunch of elephants slowly circling in a zoo. It is in this context that a translation is attempted.

“In the end Sven Mislintat and Nuri Sahin have exited the elephant round,” Ricken told Sky. “We have a completely normal meeting structure now. We don’t need a ‘committee zoo’.”

GGFN | Peter Weis