Leadership role for Müller conceivable
© Imago
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is convinced that FC Bayern Munich Uli Hoeneß and he will take him as an influential member of the supervisory board for a while. Before his 70th birthday, the former CEO thinks an urgent plea for his companion Hoeneß, who keeps ensuring vertebrae with striking appearances.
“I have to say one thing, regardless of myself: FC Bayern doesn’t need less Uli Hoeneß, he needs more Uli Hoeneß,” said Rummenigge of the German Press Agency in an interview on his milestone birthday next Thursday. He himself had cleared his post as CEO in mid -2021 after almost two decades a few months before the end of the contract for Oliver Kahn. After the spectacular separation from Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, Rummenigge returned to the German record champion as a member of the supervisory board less than 24 months later.
“Uli Hoeneß called me at the time and said that it didn’t work that way,” said Rummenigge: “From Julian Nagelsmann, who was supposed to be a coach for many years. Uli said to me: “You have to support me. You have to help me. I can’t do it alone.”
Since then, efforts have been made together to find “a certain continuity” in the club management and especially on the board. “Overall, we need a board of directors who ticks and works. Everything is not done, but we have come back on a good, real way,” said Rummenigge. At the end of the month, CFO Michael Diederich is eliminated, for whom one must first find “a good successor”.
Another central task of the Supervisory Board is the control of finances. “And the salary costs have grown too quickly on the order that is not entirely harmless,” warned the former Bavarian boss. He demands: “You also have to say the little word ‘no’.” You have to tell the players and their consultants: “We don’t want to do that. We don’t want to. The players always talk about appreciation. But this form of appreciation in football is now a currency called euro. But it is not worth a player in the world that you as a club do financial madness.”
There was also controversy in the summer transfer period with the sports director Max Eberl, which was responsible for squad planning. Hoeneß recently called Eberl “sensitive” at a TV appearance and gave him advice. No problem, says Rummenigge: “If there is a bit in between, it just arises. There is the Bavarian culture of dispute. Uli did it with me until the excess, sometimes the doors flew out of the fishing.” The goal of all Hoeneß trade and he always remains the same: “Our club should always be the industry leader nationally. And internationally, if things go well, we want to go very far again.”
Rummenigge believes that for Thomas Müller at FC Bayern is possible
For the future, Rummenigge considers a second career by Thomas Müller to be quite possible in management. “It is the fans and club’s wish that former players at Bayern Munich take a leadership role,” he said. The 36 -year -old Müller is currently ending his career at the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Major League Soccer.
“I think Thomas did it right. He has new experiences in North America, expands his horizon, perfects a different language and gets to know a new culture. He could prepare a little bit for a possible job there,” said Rummenigge, who was also once a player of FC Bayern and then became the first chairman of the board in 2002.
At first, however, it is crucial what Müller actually wanted after his player career. “He has to feel like this completely new challenge. He played football at the highest level, that would help him unquestionably. And he knows the club very well. But of course it is also: a board or manager post is a completely different job than that on the pitch,” said Rummenigge.