The Rise of Julian Nagelsmann & Marco Rose in the Bundesliga - Season Highlights

Every time a new manager is appointed at a club, they'll often stress the need for patience. Plenty of time is needed to implement tactics, style of play, and to mould the team into their ideal creation.

Sure, some may excel straight away. But those few individuals tend to have a wealth of resources that helps them to succeed. Even Jürgen Klopp finished sixth in his first season at Borussia Dortmund, eighth in his first at Liverpool, before carrying both to dizzying heights.

With that said, it makes the successful debut seasons of both Marco Rose and Julian Nagelsmann, who manage Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig respectively, even more remarkable.

Granted, both managerial appointments were made quickly after the 2018/19 season had ended, and consequently the new arrivals had a lot of time to prepare and oversee their squad's pre-season that summer. And while they were also inheriting two teams who had just finished in the top five, there was still plenty for them to work on and prove to the sceptics.

Rose had just come off a successful season at Red Bull Salzburg, winning both the league and cup in Austria. Yet he arrived at Borussia Park to manage a team whose league form had been wildly inconsistent, and his attack soon lost the services of star Thorgan Hazard to Dortmund.

Meanwhile, Nagelsmann had already announced his departure from Hoffenheim back in June 2018. And despite already being widely recognised as Germany's best young manager, his side didn't have a great league campaign and finished in mid-table, having finished the previous two in the top four.

Leipzig ended the season a distant ten points behind Dortmund in third place, and faced the challenge of trying to close the gap to the two German powerhouses.

And while many thought that they were great appointments for both sides, few predicted that they would put themselves in contention for the league title this season.

With nine games left to play and with the Bundesliga keen to return this month, there's still a chance for both Leipzig and Gladbach to seriously threaten the establishment.

Die Roten Bullen currently sit four points behind leaders Bayern and have only lost three league games this season, while still having a favourable run-in that included a home game against Dortmund. As for Die Fohlen, they also lie within striking distance of the three clubs above them, and could still make a late push.

But results aside, Rose and Nagelsmann have also succeeded in their style of play, as the football played by both teams has been exciting and enthralling to watch. And under their tutelage, certain players have developed further, emphasising his impact on their development.

At Gladbach, Rose has made his players a constant threat on the counter-attack, with the front three attackers constantly making runs to drag opposing defences out of position before making the right pass between the newly created gaps. Defensively, the team use an aggressive press to win the ball back high up the pitch, while also retaining a sense of fluidity to organise themselves well and prevent being caught out themselves.

Thanks to the high-tempo playing style, fans seem reinvigorated by the football their team are playing. Up front, the pace of Marcus Thuram has been used to devastating effect, turning the Frenchman into a potential star of the league. Denis Zakaria has also shone in a box-to-box role, and the solid defensive setup instilled by Rose means that the centre-back pairing of Matthias Ginter and Nico Elvedi never look troubled by their opponents.

As for Leipzig, Nagelsmann has altered the team's style to become more threatening and ruthless with the ball, as well as their usual deadly nature in counter-attacking. While still retaining the aggressive press that they've always done, the club now look more comfortable in possession, and have found a cutting-edge against teams who sit back to avoid being exploited on the break.

His tactics have brought out the best of captain Marcel Sabitzer, whose versatility and great technical abilities have made him more effective in a deeper role, as well as an advanced one. Having been lured away from Paris Saint-Germain, Christopher Nkunku is another player who has really become a more complete attacking threat. And the vast improvement from the likes of Konrad Laimer and Nordi Mukiele have shown their manager's ability to simply develop his players.

With strong displays this season, there's no doubt that expectations will rise accordingly for the next campaign, with many of the belief that Gladbach and Leipzig should continue to push the top-two in the league.

But don't think that Rose and Nagelsmann will rest on their laurels and stop evolving their style of play. While their 2019/20 seasons have elevated them into the list of the most exciting managers in the world, there's still plenty more to come from the rising duo.