It was surprising news. Markus Pilawa (44), Head of Analysis and Scouting at Borussia Dortmund, will be released with immediate effect. However, the background to this measure makes it understandable: Pilawa had probably flirted with FC Bayern, Dortmund is said to have found out about it – and now the 44-year-old will switch to the big league rivals in Munich. The record champion apparently took advantage of the moment.
“We respect this decision and, in view of the upcoming challenges, have decided to release Markus Pilawa from his duties immediately,” said Sebastian Kehl, who has been the new sports director at BVB since July 1: “We would like to thank you for the many years of service cooperation and wish him all the best for the future.”
However, the personnel is delicate. Because Pilawa bore a significant responsibility for the personnel upheaval that Kehl had already initiated with numerous transfers. Pilawa, who came to BVB as a scout from VfL Bochum in 2012 and has been primarily responsible for the scouting department since 2017, was instrumental in signing young, international top talents such as Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Erling Braut Haaland. Pilawa was the successor to Sven Mislintat, who had moved to VfB Stuttgart.
In his position, Pilawa was inevitably an important confidante for long-time sports director Michael Zorc and for his successor Kehl. Apparently, BVB no longer saw any basis for a trusting cooperation after it became known that Pilawa was in talks with FC Bayern. In Munich, Pilawa is now to become chief scout and strengthen the department of Technical Director Marco Neppe.
In the past few months, Bayern have emphasized several times that they also want to be on the lookout for international talent with potential in the future – and thus want to move above all in the same segment as Dortmund have done very successfully in recent years to have.
It is still unclear how Pilawa’s position at BVB should be filled. Most recently, the Dortmund team had also hired a chief scout in Laurent Busser. He should, however, assist Pilawa. A fundamental reorganization of the department is now likely. Ironically, Busser (52) had previously worked at Bayern Munich.
