Blessin has arrived at Borussia Mönchengladbach with the immediate task of changing a disastrous start, but the new coach could soon receive an important boost from the return of Konoplya.
Gladbach dismissed Eugen Polanski after losing their opening four Bundesliga matches, leaving them bottom of the table with no points and 16 goals conceded. Blessin has now signed a contract through 2028.
Sporting director Rouven Schröder explained that the club were not looking for a temporary solution.
“He is no firefighter. We never looked for that. But we needed someone with clear principles. He brings sharpness, but with his empathetic manner he can also take the players with him. He is supposed to move us forward and provide new impulses. He is fundamentally positive. That's exactly what we need,” Schröder said.
Blessin was equally clear about the work required.
“It is about the whole thing. It's not just the back line that is to blame. You have to look at where the error originates. It's about willingness, positioning in the box. There needs to be clarity and courage,” he said.
The 53-year-old arrives after two seasons at St Pauli. He guided the newly promoted club to Bundesliga survival in his first campaign before they were relegated last season. Before that, he worked in Belgium and Italy and won the Belgian Cup with Union Saint-Gilloise.
Blessin's first competitive assignment will come after the international break, when Gladbach travel to Cologne for the Rhine derby on October 11.
By then, Schröder hopes another summer signing will finally be available.
The sporting director was particularly enthusiastic when Gladbach signed Ukraine international Yukhym Konoplya from Shakhtar Donetsk in May. The right-back arrived as a free agent on a contract through 2029, having won three Ukrainian league titles and made 15 Champions League appearances.
“Starting player for the Ukrainian champions, regular international appearances and Champions League games — he brings a lot of experience and leadership qualities,” Schröder said at the time.
Konoplya has not yet been able to demonstrate those qualities for Gladbach. The 26-year-old suffered an MCL injury at the beginning of pre-season and missed the opening weeks of the campaign.
He has now returned to full team training and is building his fitness ahead of a potential comeback. The club's next league fixture after the international break is therefore a possible target, although his match readiness will determine whether he can make his competitive debut.
His return would give Blessin another option at right-back and potentially ease the pressure on Joe Scally.
The United States international had been expected to leave during the summer, but Borussia Monchengladbach were unable to find a suitable buyer. Injuries to both Konoplya and fellow new signing Daiki Hashioka subsequently left Scally back in the starting XI.
Blessin therefore inherits a squad with a defensive problem to solve, but also the prospect of adding an experienced international to the back line.
For Gladbach, the next few weeks will be about establishing the new coach's principles while getting Konoplya ready to contribute. After four defeats and 16 goals conceded, the scale of the rebuilding task is already clear.