Those responsible at Borussia Mönchengladbach had not planned the presentation of a savior who steps onto the stage out of a green-black mist and promises a prosperous future for their general meeting.

A few signals of confidence to the battered foal community would have been enough for them at the event on Monday evening.

But as so often during the past year and a half at Borussia Park, a plan has once again failed: Lucien Favre does not want to become a coach at Borussia Mönchengladbach, sports director Roland Virkus reported to the members and explained: "You can be sure that we have did everything we could for two weeks and had a lot of talks”, but “Lucien Favre said: he has Borussia in his heart.

But he no longer wants to work in Germany.”

This is a setback.

Because this cancellation makes planning for the coming season more difficult.

And because the people of Gladbach are becoming more and more aware of how much this club, which played in the Champions League a year and a half ago, is losing its attraction.

The successful coach Marco Rose decided in January 2021 that he would rather train with Borussia Dortmund, and a year later the completely exhausted sports director Max Eberl left Borussia.

Players are keen to leave and Rouven Schröder preferred staying at then second division club Schalke 04 to Borussia in January.

Now Favre has also canceled.

Everyone had their reasons, which often had nothing to do with the traditional club from the Lower Rhine, but in retrospect it is clear: Borussia Mönchengladbach has changed from a club with hopes of regular participation in the Champions League to a club with a very uncertain future.

The developments of the past two seasons have "thrown Borussia back by five years",

Because Borussia Mönchengladbach is a Bundesliga company that has been managed very prudently and sensibly for many years.

It was actually long assumed that such clubs would have particularly favorable prospects at the end of the pandemic.

And the numbers that Schippers presented look pretty good too: Borussia lost around 100 million in sales during the corona restrictions, and at least 70 million of them were offset by savings.

The shortfall of around 31 million euros meant that equity fell from a good 100 million euros to 71 million euros.

Compared to many of its competitors, Borussia is in excellent health, the problem is that this club policy has so far paid off neither in terms of sport nor on the transfer market.

That needs to change urgently.

"Borussia is repositioning itself," said President Rolf Königs.

But the renewal process is still stalled.

Because the transfer market is difficult this summer too, because many of the well-paid Gladbach professionals appear to be too expensive for potential buyers.

And because courted players still don't know which coach they would work with in Mönchengladbach.

A possible candidate for the vacant post after Favre's cancellation is Daniel Farke, who has been promoted to the English Premier League twice with Norwich City in recent years.

No alternative to the more conservative course

Former world-class defender Vincent Kompany, who has just parted ways with RSC Anderlecht, could also be considered, as could Spaniard Xabi Alonso.

"You can be sure that we will push this and do it as quickly as possible," said sports director Virkus on Monday about the search for a coach, but at the same time asked for patience: "We have had in the past three years, and that's not a criticism of my predecessor , not made good decisions.

It is now immensely important that we make a good decision.”

It is not only in the offices of those responsible for sport that people are looking for ways back to old successes.

Although there is no alternative to the rather conservative course of economic reason, said Schippers, an IPO based on the example of Borussia Dortmund is conceivable, for example.

A few select big investors could buy shares, while fans could support their club with a fancier investment in foal shares and maybe even make a profit.

“You have to be open to everything.

But everything at the right time.

Everything has to fit.

We still have a lot of work to do in the future,” said Schippers.

However, it is relatively clear that the depressed mood has to change in order to be able to look to the next few years with confidence again.