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Hunt on for new Bayern Munich coach after Kovac sacking
BERLIN, Nov 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Bayern Munich are looking for a new head
coach after Niko Kovac was sacked in the wake of their 5-1 drubbing at
Eintracht Frankfurt — their worst Bundesliga defeat in 10 years.
Despite his team routing Tottenham 7-2 in the Champions League in early
October, Bayern severed ties with Kovac on Sunday night after winning just
three of their last six games.
AFP Sport looks at what prompted the dismissal of Kovac after 16 months in
charge:
Lack of boardroom backing
It was no secret that chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was a reluctant
supporter of Kovac becoming coach when the former Bayern midfielder succeeded
Jupp Heynckes in July 2018.
President Uli Hoeness persuaded Rummenigge that the right man was Kovac,
who endured a storm of criticism inside his first three months following
back-to-back Bundesliga defeats by Hertha Berlin and Moenchengladbach.
Bayern still won the league and cup double last season, but the writing
was again on the wall last month when Hoffenheim pulled off a shock 2-1 win
in Munich. Sloppy defending also saw Bayern concede a late goal in their 2-2
draw at Augsburg a fortnight ago.
An unconvincing 3-2 victory at Olympiakos in the Champions League the
following game moved Rummenigge to brand the performance “careless”.
“I don’t think the performance we produced will bring us serious success
this season,” he said in a thinly-veiled dig at Kovac.
Big name factor
Kovac, after his dismissal, was quoted as saying “this is the correct
decision for the club”, and he was never able to allay concerns he was a big
enough name for a club of Bayern’s stature.
Following spells under elite coaches in Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti,
Bayern will search for a successor of similar ilk to replace Kovac, whose
assistant Hansi Flick will take charge for Wednesday’s Champions League game
at home to Olympiakos.
Jose Mourinho has been linked to the role and is reportedly learning
German, while Ajax coach Erik ten Hag — Bayern’s reserves coach from 2013-15
under Guardiola — is another contender.
“If Bayern ring, I wouldn’t rule it out,” Ten Hag told magazine Kicker
recently.
Ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, Ralf Rangnick, director of
football at RB Leipzig, and revered former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have
also been mentioned.
Lost dressing room
Kicker claims Kovac lost Bayern’s dressing room last season and that
winning the double only papered over the cracks.
“His concept of football was never clear, players lacked detailed tactical
guidance,” Kicker wrote.
What is certainly true is that Bayern’s stars looked desperately short of
ideas when Jerome Boateng was sent off after only nine minutes at Frankfurt
on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski bludgeoned his way through the Frankfurt defence for
Bayern’s only goal, but individual errors contributed to all five goals they
conceded.
Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic says a “positive development” is now
expected from the record 29-time German champions “so we can achieve our
goals for the season”.
Problems to solve
Kovac’s problems were compounded in recent weeks by losing both first-
choice centre-backs Niklas Suele and Lucas Hernandez to long-term injuries.
In Frankfurt, Boateng was paired with David Alaba, usually a left-back, in
a curious selection in the middle of the defence.
Boateng is now suspended for Saturday’s home Bundesliga clash against
Dortmund with right-back Benjamin Pavard likely to shift into the centre.
Similarly, Kovac’s replacement must solve the same puzzling issue of where
to regularly play Thomas Mueller, who made his 500th appearance for Bayern on
Saturday yet was frustrated under Kovac by a lack of game time.
Whoever does get the Bayern job, however, still has a good chance of
success this season.
Bayern top their Champions League group after three straight wins and are
through to the last 16 of the German Cup, while they only trail leaders
Gladbach by four points in the league.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2005HRS