Bundesliga
Many are the more recent generation of coaching greats, now household names, who have applied their tactical smarts to the Bundesliga over recent times. Think Pep Guardiola, formerly at Bayern Munich, or Borussia Dortmund legend Jürgen Klopp as tacticians who have revolutionised the game from the dugout.
Currently going about his business with arguably slightly less fanfare outside of Frankfurt and Germany right now, is Eintracht boss Dino Toppmöller, who is earning a reputation as one of the game's most dependable and tactically adaptable coaches.
On an ever-upward trend at Die Adler ever since being installed as current Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner's replacement in June 2023, the 44-year-old has skilfully rebuilt his teams after losing key players to high-profile transfers several times during his tenure.
Watch: Frankfurt’s conveyor belt of talent
From waving goodbye to Omar Marmoush - now at Manchester City - to bidding au revoir to young French star Hugo Ekitiké, who recently departed for Liverpool FC, Toppmöller previously even barely had time to work with France international Randal Kolo Muani, before the striker switched to Paris Saint-Germain, forcing a reshuffling of the Frankfurt set-up.
The tactician's latest incredible feat was to lead Frankfurt to a third-place Bundesliga finish, helping the Eagles to directly qualify for the UEFA Champions League via the league route for the first ever time. It was all the culmination of a process that started out with some hard learning.
Surprisingly knocked out of the DFB Cup at the round of 16 stage by FC Saarbrücken and unable to progress to the UEFA Conference League knockouts in his first season in charge left Toppmöller deep in thought.
Not a man for tactical rigidity, the coach - who once assisted Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich - instead focused on man-management, looking to improve individual players in an effort to rouse more energy expenditure that would fuel a fast and high, counter-pressing game.
"I expect my team to play with maximum intensity," he once said. Glimpses of that energy were there when Eintracht annihilated Bayern Munich 5-1 at Deutsche Bank Park in December 2023. As one of many home stars of the show that evening, the then teenaged midfielder Hugo Larsson is one player who especially excelled under Toppmöller's man management.
Watch: When Toppmöller's Frankfurt trounced Bayern
The current Sweden international - who has now racked up 88 appearances for Eintracht - became symbolic in summing up Toppmöller's teams: a player who delivers drive, determination and boundless energy.
Results varied towards the end of his first season in charge, but Eintracht still managed to finish sixth, with striker Marmoush their top scorer in the Bundesliga with 12 goals. The Egyptian was another of those whose attacking play improved and reputation significantly polished while under the wing of Eintracht's coach.
Going into the 2024/25 season, fans were now eager to see to Eintracht's forward-moving flow, even if they weren't quite sure how the team would set up from one week to the next.
“I don’t have a preferred formation,” Toppmöller said. What he did have, however, was attention to detail. In the carefully-appointed, eagled-eyed, training-ground assistant Xaver Zembrod and pressing specialist Jan Fießer, Frankfurt worked hard on the specifics.
Watch: Omar Marmoush thrived under Toppmöller
Lessons were learned from the aforementioned setbacks of the previous campaign. The team became a closer, fighting unit as a result, with Toppmöller's calm attitude key to cultivating a strong level of trust and ease among his players.
The balance of young and talented upcoming stars such as current Turkey international Can Uzun and Germany U21 starlets Nnamdi Collins and Nathaniel Brown were allowed to learn alongside the more experienced Mario Götze, current club captain Robin Koch and the since departed Kevin Trapp. Errors were treated with an arm around the shoulder and encouragement to try better next time.
Halfway through last season, Eintracht were motoring. Posting 10 wins and three draws had the side from Mainhattan in third place, with the then defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in sight. Marmoush was scoring for fun and his 15 goals were complemented by a further 10 assists.
When news came that the versatile striker would leave for the Premier League in the winter transfer window, many experts felt that Frankfurt's form would drop off. Not so.
Alongside Marmoush in those first 17 games, Ekitiké had 10 goal involvements (eight goals, two assists). When he first arrived at Eintracht, initially on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, the French forward needed work. Immense promise was tempered somewhat by a young attitude that could overheat. Under Toppmöller's guiding hand, Ekitiké trained his focus and discipline.
Watch: Huge Ekitiké grew in stature at Frankfurt
Marmoush's move to City saw Ekitiké take centre stage up top. The high counter-pressing and super-quick transitions would remain a staple of a team whose counter-attacking weapon was also one of the most fearsome in the league. Even shorn of Marmoush, Eintracht continued to set pressing traps that teams couldn't avoid falling into.
The ideas behind the on-field set-up remained more important than any individual, given that Toppmöller could improve or mould a player with enough raw talent into fitting his preferred style.
Ekitiké continued to supply the goals, even notably maturing and growing in confidence with his new-found responsibility. Few are the teams who lose their top goalscorer mid-season, as Frankfurt did with Marmoush, and still go on to finish in a division's top three places come the end of a campaign.
Watch: Eintracht secure Champions League football
Right before securing Champions League football, Toppmöller was rewarded with a new contract. The club's board member for sport, Markus Krösche, noted, "There’s a significant and recognisable development, particularly compared to last season – both individually and at team level. A key factor in this positive development is the outstanding work by head coach Dino Toppmöller and his coaching staff."
Krösche continued, "Under their guidance, the whole team have made a clear step forward in terms of stability, structure and maturity. [The coaching staff] have particularly succeeded in developing young and talented players and establishing them at a top level."
Come this summer, Toppmöller and Frankfurt had more rebuilding to do. Ekitiké was snapped up by a Liverpool team eager to have a striker who took a monumental step in his development under the Eagles' coach.
The arrival of Germany international Jonathan Burkardt brought star quality up front, but, rather than the team being moulded around the new striker's abilities, it was Burkardt who would work to fit into an already established playing ethos at Eintracht.
The shrewd capture of the evergreen Ritsu Dōan added one more layer of class ahead of Eintracht's 2025/26 season. As fans flocked to the banks of the River Main to see the new version of their beloved team at the beginning of the season, they were met with a swashbuckling victory based on the principles of old.
Watch: Eintracht continue perfect start at Hoffenheim
A 4-1 win against Werder Bremen featured a stunning, coming-of-age performance from Uzun and a double-scoring feat from France U21 international Jean-Mattéo Bahoya.
By Matchday 2, Eintracht were top of the pile with Bayern after clipping the wings of a Hoffenheim side that had previously been flying in pre-season. Uzun was again on target, while it was Dōan's turn to provide a double in a 3-1 win.
At Frankfurt, the phrase that might best fit the team under coach Toppmöller is, the more things change, the more they stay the same, and nobody around Deutsche Bank Park is complaining about that.