For Uli Hoeneß, there was no alternative to the dismissal of CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic at German soccer champions Bayern Munich.
The sum of the decisions of the two would have ensured an “overall development” that “has caused more and more irritation over time,” said the long-time FCB president and manager in an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
As an example of poor communication, Honorary President Hoeneß cited the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of coach Julian Nagelsmann. Kahn and Salihamidzic made this decision without consultation, despite the great implications. “Nobody” knew about it, “even Herbert Hainer (FCB President, ed.) As Chairman of the Supervisory Board was informed much too late. And something like that just doesn’t work,” said Hoeneß.
Kahn chose the wrong approach and had too little connection to football. “Oliver defined his role in such a way that he largely stayed out of sport. Sport is the main task. Our product is football,” said Hoeneß. In addition, Kahn maintained neither close contact with him nor with the former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
“You can set up any company from scratch and do everything differently, that’s perfectly legitimate – but you have to be successful with it. It’s about nothing else. It bothers me when it’s said again that Hoeneß still wants to set the rules,” said the 71-year-old: “I would prefer everything to be going well and we still had all the board members together. The last few days and weeks have been anything but a pleasure.”
Together with Rummenigge, who was appointed to the supervisory board on Tuesday, Hoeneß is now in talks with players and advisors. Coach Thomas Tuchel “will play an important role in the decision-making process, but he will certainly not go to the clubs or consultants and conduct negotiations.”
Hoeneß complains about the fitness level of Bayern professionals
Hoeneß attributed FC Bayern’s weak second half to what he saw as insufficient and insufficient preparation during the winter break. “I am convinced that (coach, ed.) Thomas Tuchel had to suffer in the second half of the season because some players lacked the basic stamina,” said Hoeneß: “If you give four and a half weeks of vacation, you need at least six Weeks of preparation. But we only had two and a half weeks!”
There weren’t enough friendlies, namely “just this one against Salzburg,” said Hoeneß: “How are you supposed to be fit? I’ve never had four weeks’ vacation in my playing career, not even in the summer.” But some Bayern pros “didn’t have a serious game from the beginning of November to mid-January.”
However, he “did not initially” warn the then FCB coach Julian Nagelsmann of this danger. “But when Manuel Neuer’s injury weighed on the mood, I pointed out that we shouldn’t be on vacation for so long,” he said.
Hoeneß worried about Bayern
Before the World Cup was interrupted, Bayern had nine points more than Borussia Dortmund after 15 Bundesliga games, but the record champions quickly gambled away this cushion. Nagelsmann had to go in March after the 1:2 at Bayer Leverkusen, Tuchel only saved the championship thanks to the better goal difference.
Bayern’s performance would have caused him great concern. “When I see how we’re almost being shown in our own stadium against Leipzig in the second half, I can’t let go,” said Hoeneß, referring to the 3-1 draw on the penultimate matchday: “It’s just important to me that at FC Bayern everything is fine.”
The separation of CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic should contribute to this, according to Hoeneß, who defended the decision: “We can’t make such important questions for the future of FC Bayern dependent on whether Borussia Dortmund scored the third goal in the 97th minute :2 shoots – or not. If they shoot it, we’ll separate from the board members, if they don’t shoot it, will they stay? You can’t proceed like that.”