Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß shaped an era at Bayern. But even after they left day-to-day business, the two doers regularly get involved in their heart club. It is not uncommon for them to smack their successors in public. Are Rummenigge and Hoeneß slowly becoming a problem for Munich?
Advice is also a beating, as the saying goes. Whether it’s transfer matters or squad planning: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge always has someone ready.
Of course, the 66-year-old likes to be asked for his opinion, as he can look back on around 30 years in responsible positions with the record champions. And the current Bayern leadership should only benefit from his expertise.
But the special thing about it: He often criticizes current Bayern players or intervenes in transfer policy. He has not held an official post at FC Bayern since last summer, when he voluntarily handed over the chairmanship to Oliver Kahn.
There is, for example, his public criticism of summer transfer Marcel Sabitzer, who “cost a lot” but “didn’t improve the squad that much”. There would be Rummenigge’s assurances that FC Bayern basically does not need an Erling Haaland. And there would be his, partly exclusive, opinion in the case of Niklas Süle.
Rummenigge gets headwind from the ranks of FC Bayern
The ex-boss didn’t want to shed a tear for the central defender, who switched to league rival Borussia Dortmund for free in the summer. The national player “never really asserted himself in his position,” said Rummenigge on “Sky” at the end of January.
It didn’t take long for the Süle advocates to counterattack – mind you from within their own ranks, after all, the 26-year-old was the Bayern defender with the most appearances in the squad to date.
Captain Neuer could not get much of the opinion of his former superior, after all, Süle is “an important cornerstone”. Last but not least, head coach Julian Nagelsmann was disappointed that the defender did not want to extend and even congratulated BVB on the coup.
Hoeneß publicly opposes Kahn
As is well known, Uli Hoeneß, who as a simple member of the supervisory board still has a direct influence on the fortunes of FC Bayern, has a similar opinion. In the recent past, the Honorary President has been conspicuously reticent on sporting issues, but he was all the louder on structural issues.
Even the boss of the board and the sports director had to find out for themselves.
In spring, for example, the discussion about a possible playoff reform in the Bundesliga was held publicly. While Oliver Kahn admitted that he was fundamentally open to the idea, Hoeneß rumbled on “Servus TV”: “That’s his opinion – it’s not mine. I find it ridiculous.” The concept was “just a law against Bayern Munich,” the 70-year-old railed.
Hoeneß’ chat was no less explosive in an interview with “Zeit”, in which he confessed that his protégé Hasan Salihamidzic was considered very controversial within the club in the course of the conflict with triple coach Hansi Flick. He had previously reprimanded Salihamidzic in the “11Leben” podcast because of his strategy on the transfer market. Statements that “Brazzo” should hardly have helped to raise his standing.
“No clear structure” at FC Bayern
Felix Magath, someone who knows the inner workings of FC Bayern only too well, recently emphasized how toxic this constellation is for the current management. The ex-coach worked at Säbener Straße between 2004 and 2007 and knows about Uli Hoeneß’s continuing influence.
At FC Bayern there is “restlessness” and “no clear structure” in the management team, since those responsible for the past are still pulling the strings, Magath recently judged on “Sky”. Salihamidzic, for example, has a problem with the fact that he “can never decide everything on his own. He has to discuss things with Hoeneß beforehand when it comes to contracts like Robert Lewandowski or Manuel Neuer”.
In addition, Magath raised doubts about how good the relationship between Kahn and Hoeneß was. The only thing that is clear is that the ex-goalkeeper “has taken on a very difficult job” as CEO and successor to Rummenigge.
Does the new Bayern leadership have to break away?
A way out for the new leaders like Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic would probably be a complete isolation from the former makers.
As long as the personal opinion of Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is equated with the attitude of FC Bayern, they also intervene in day-to-day business.
Conversely, Kahn, Salihamidzic and even Hoeneß successor Herbert Hainer are also looking for their own profile, which is the basis for a new era at the record champions.
And last but not least: Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge will continue to give advice until then.
Gerrit Kleiböhmer