Now the need is really great
Smiling Tuchel makes FC Bayern look stupid
By Tobias Nordmann
May 17, 2024, 3:23 p.m
And once again FC Bayern is left blank: the next coaching idea also failed. Thomas Tuchel, with whom there were talks about overturning the separation agreement, announces his departure. Even enjoyable. That definitely raises questions.
Thomas Tuchel knew what to expect and allowed himself a little fun. Even before the first question in the obligatory press round before the Bundesliga game at TSG Hoffenheim (on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) he gave the journalist Kerry Hau a few key words about what it could be about. Injury list? Hoffenheim? Basic order? All nonsense, of course. The first question to Tuchel ultimately had to be whether he would really remain coach of FC Bayern. Anyone who expected something different is a dream dancer. The rumor about the possible turnaround was too spectacular.
And Tuchel answered frankly and directly: “This is the last press conference on Säbener Strasse. We have not found an agreement for further cooperation. That’s why the agreement in February remains.” After an embarrassing defeat at VfL Bochum, the club decided a few days later to end the strenuous collaboration at the end of the season despite an ongoing contract until 2025.
Tuchel did not want to comment on the reasons for the final exit, saying it would remain behind “closed doors”. However, it was only about “minimal” things. But you probably don’t lean too far over the parapet if you assume a significant say in transfer policy and an extension of the working paper as incompatible points. This was the only way the coach could have gotten out of this bizarre backward roll number while saving face. Not considered a stirrup for a possible coup with Jürgen Klopp, Xabi Alonso or Pep Guardiola next summer. Perhaps the demands were so great that the club could not meet them. The coach had the better hand. After the hail of rejections from his potential successors, he was able to negotiate as comfortably as a water seller in the desert.
Munich’s communications sovereignty is slipping away
That was pretty bizarre. So there sat a coach, completely at peace with himself, and announced this big decision. Of course, FC Bayern had never publicly announced that there were talks with Tuchel about staying. But the matter was so widespread in the media that the club should have tried to announce the decision itself. So communication sovereignty slipped out of the hands of the people of Munich. You stand there somewhat embarrassed. Why didn’t a man like sports director Max Eberl sit there to answer questions? To actively announce that we are parting ways. This makes FC Bayern look stupid and Tuchel can leave with a smile. After a stressful time, with a championship (given away by BVB on the last matchday of last season), with criticism of the squad, with demands, with player demotions and openly displayed helplessness about the lack of consistency of his players. For example, the embarrassing DFB Cup exit at 1. FC Saarbrücken. With his proclamation of “Thomas Müller games” he shaped a superfluous debate.
What now? Who wants to become the coach of the record champions? The list of options can no longer be particularly long. Roberto de Zerbi (Brighton Hove & Albion) is said to still be on it. Maybe Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) will also be interesting again. The Austrian wants it, but his club doesn’t. Or just for a supposedly completely absurd fee somewhere close to 100 million euros. Hansi Flick, also once supposedly the favorite, is said to be out of the race. No matter, a dream candidate can no longer be sold anyway. There is no shortage of ridicule on social media. A comeback from Jürgen Klinsmann is called for. Either way, the new man is flawed by the fact that he is only Plan E, F, G, X, Y or Z. This is a big blow to his authority, even before he steps into the coaching ring.
Max Eberl has also already been knocked out
And of course also for Max Eberl, who took up his position as the new sports director a few days after the decision to separate in mid-February. With the big task of looking for a new trainer. He wanted this task completed in April. Damn, it’s growing into an eternity number. The fact that he decided not to say goodbye to Tuchel in his own arena last weekend can subsequently be seen as evidence that he had fully relied on the card of old, new coaches. Vain. Another debacle that weakens him and his position.
“I believe that we always leave our mark,” said Tuchel. “We have the right to walk out of these 15 months with our heads held high.” One could of course say “that a titleless season with Bayern Munich is never satisfactory.” But if one were to read “the book not just on the title page” but rather leaf through it in its entirety, the assessment of his time would be more nuanced. Bayer Leverkusen’s furious ensemble was simply too good for this self-absorbed and constantly restless FC Bayern, who would have been champions in many seasons with their number of points. The cup embarrassment against third division team Saarbrücken, on the other hand, was offset by a remarkable premier class season.
Tuchel admitted that it was difficult for him to leave the team. In the past few weeks, the coach and the footballers had once again grown together into a strong unit. Manifested in this one, iconic photo that was taken after the quarter-final triumph in the Champions League against Arsenal FC. It shows Thomas Tuchel bursting with strength and happiness. Someone who seemed immune to all odds. Until Uli Hoeneß came and attacked him violently via “FAZ”. The fact that the coach later admitted that his “coaching honor was deeply injured” seemed to be the very last nail in the coffin of the absurd scenario that the coach could stay after all. An online petition by almost 20,000 fans campaigned for this. Tuchel now explained that the patriarch’s surprise attack played no role in his decision. They met during the Champions League game against Real Madrid – “and then buried the topic.”
A never-ending, grotesque show
He still allowed himself a peak towards Tegernsee. When he was asked about Aleksandar Pavlović’s European Championship nomination for the DFB team and that he played a major role in the youngster’s development, he replied: “Some say so, others like that.” Big laughter in the room. Poisoned greetings to Lake Tegernsee.
What kind of grotesque show has this been for weeks, in which almost every coach imaginable was allowed to say or simply said why he wasn’t moving to FC Bayern? Or that he is ready. Afterwards, apart from Felix Magath, you can’t think of too many coaches. Now this show continues. And the need is getting bigger and bigger. Without a coach, restructuring the squad this summer will be more difficult. Players want to know who is coaching them and what role they are assigned. And sports director Eberl should coordinate with a game manager as to which professionals will stay, go and come. A leaderless team is not attractive, even if it is FC Bayern. The club’s crisis of meaning can no longer be denied. Nor that the title-spoiled giant is increasingly becoming a pseudo-giant in European football.
But there are plenty of fake giants there at the moment. Be it in Manchester’s (United) Theater of Nightmares, where Erik ten Hag, a former coach of Bayern’s second team, is stumbling (Tuchel is ironically considered his successor and the Dutchman is also supposedly his at Munich) or at FC Barcelona, where Xavi stays or not and maybe replaced by Tuchel or Flick. Or not.