Mike Tullberg left Borussia Dortmund for FC Midtjylland last September. He is enjoying success with the Danish club. He talks about his time at BVB.
Mike Tullberg was allowed to coach Borussia Dortmund’s professionals as interim coach for three games before returning to the U23 team.
After a few weeks with the juniors, he followed the lure of FC Midtjylland and left BVB after a total of six years. Around three months later, it is clear that this was the right move. Tullberg is delivering with FC Midtjylland in the European Cup and is also playing for the title in Denmark. His record: 15 competitive games and an average of 2.33 points per game.
The 39-year-old, who took his first steps as a coach in the 2012/2013 season at SG Schönebeck as Christian Petereit’s assistant, has not changed in his home country either.
I celebrated just as enthusiastically with the youth team after victories in the Westphalia Cup, but nobody noticed there.
Mike Tullberg
Tullberg is also very impulsive on the sidelines in Denmark. When the former Rot-Weiß Oberhausen striker was interim coach at BVB, Sky expert Dietmar Hamann described Tullberg’s exuberant celebrations after a victory in Heidenheim as “embarrassing.”
“It wasn’t planned, it was pure euphoria because I was able to help the club I love. I’ve always been like that: I celebrated like that after victories in the Westphalia Cup with the youth team, too, but nobody noticed. I’m still the same coach I was in Dortmund – both personally and professionally. It’s just that, in my opinion, a coach who is sometimes emotional is quickly pigeonholed,“ Tullberg explains in November 2025 in ”Sport Bild.”
Tullberg did not feel disappointed that he had to return to the U23 team after three games on the sidelines with the pros, as he explains: “Lars Ricken and I have a special relationship, and he communicated it very transparently to me. I was very proud to be able to coach the team for three games. But I knew myself that the path to becoming a professional coach at Dortmund would not be via the youth team, so I was very happy to take a step back to the U23s. But when the offer came from Denmark, I couldn’t say no.”
In Denmark, he is celebrated by Midtjylland fans and soccer experts alike. The emotional Tullberg is allowed to be himself. He is allowed to let off steam.
A certain Said El Mala is currently doing the same in the Bundesliga, wearing the jersey of 1. FC Köln. In “Sport Bild,” Tullberg revealed that he once wanted to lure El Mala to BVB. That was in 2024.
“Many people would have liked to see him in Dortmund. I got to know him and his family through conversations and had a very good impression of him. He is a very down-to-earth guy; he even wanted to end his career years ago. The way he worked his way up is impressive. Unfortunately, we were unable to sign him in that case,” reveals Tullberg. He also has some talented players in his squad at FC Midtjylland, such as top striker Franculino. Perhaps Tullberg will develop an FCM player who will then end up at BVB. “After six years at BVB, I have a huge attachment to this club. And if I had the choice, I would always prefer to sell our top players to Dortmund,” emphasizes successful coach Tullberg.