Uli Hoeneß has done it again, he can’t help it. At a panel discussion, Bayern honorary president coach Thomas Tuchel denied the ability to support and develop young players: “He has a different attitude! Not that you can improve Pavlovic, that you can improve Davies. But: If not continues, then we buy,” he said. Tuchel then countered on the day of the match, feeling that his “coaching honor had been violated”: “I have very little understanding of it. I find it absolutely baseless!”
We remember: At the beginning of the season, Tuchel publicly called for a player who fits the profile of a “holding six”. Tuchel didn’t see this guy in the squad and thus publicly brushed off Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, who Tuchel considered to be the wrong players in defensive midfield. The statements at the time were clumsy, but the topic has long since been dealt with. It is completely normal for coaches to publicly call for reinforcements. To conclude from this that Tuchel has no knack for young talent is more than doubtful and Tuchel’s anger is understandable.
As an observer you feel like you have been transported back to old times. Back in the eighties, nineties and noughties, Hoeneß attacks were an integral part of the Bundesliga entertainment business. Hoeneß always followed the motto: “Give the monkey sugar,” and this principle worked wonderfully and brought a lot of attention. In the present, however, such attacks on one’s own staff seem out of date. What are they supposed to do other than satisfy one’s own ego, which perhaps hasn’t received enough attention lately? Why does Hoeneß have to send the coach a final, caustic greeting?
There is enough tense unrest at Bayern: the new sports director Max Eberl is looking for a new coach and first has to find his way into his new job. In terms of sport, the record champions have lost their dominance for the time being, but the season can still be saved: In the Champions League, the semi-final against Real Madrid is coming up, and the title is possible. Bayern can end a season that has so far been changeable and marked by setbacks as a great triumph on the European stage.
And then Hoeneß comes around the corner and fuels a debate that was long buried. He couldn’t have chosen a worse time. This reinforces the impression that someone has lost track of what is happening on the day. Maybe Hoeneß is also trying to distract from his own mistakes. As a secret ruler in the background, he is partly responsible for the upheaval (the departures of Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic) in the club’s management level. Since then the club has not calmed down.
The attack fits with an FC Bayern that presents a confused public image. Hoeneß’s comments not only disrupt the preparation for the game against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening, but they could also have a negative impact on the search for a coach. Against this background, it is not surprising that a coach like Ralf Rangnick apparently ponders for days whether he will accept the job as Tuchel’s successor or not. You can’t blame him for his hesitation. There is no question that a coaching position at Bayern is not subject to entertainment tax. But a Rangnick in particular will think twice about joining a club where a powerful person like Hoeneß is pulling the strings behind the scenes.
