Praise to your own boss in Wolfsburg
Former Bayern coach Niko Kovac feels for current Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. The 50-year-old will have to leave the German champions after this season at the latest. Kovac himself had to leave Munich in November 2019, just a few months after winning the championship and DFB Cup. He has been coaching VfL Wolfsburg since 2022, where, as the ex-professional revealed, he finds the coaching policy much better.
“I can tell you that I know exactly how Thomas feels,” said Kovac on Friday at the press conference for Wolfsburg’s Bundesliga game at Eintracht Frankfurt (Sunday, 3:30 p.m./DAZN). “But I won’t comment on that. I have my opinion about it. But I’ll keep it for myself.”
Instead, Kovac praised Wolfsburg’s sports director Marcel Schäfer, who is sticking with him despite a disappointing sporting season so far. “Of course the results and the position in the table are not correct. But Marcel, as a former player, perhaps approaches the matter differently than one or the other,” said Kovac. He doesn’t allow himself to be guided from outside. “Because that is often the problem: that those who have the power to make decisions are subject to the pressure that is built up from outside,” says Kovac. Schäfer’s behavior, on the other hand, shows “strength of character and presence”.
Kovac: “If a coach is weakened from above, …”
In general, and also referring to his experiences in Munich, Kovac said: “A coach is only as strong as he is made from above. When a coach is weakened from above, it is easier for every player to get through.”
Kovac has collected an average points average of 1.37 in 62 games since 2022 (knockout games converted into the points system). His predecessors Florian Kohfeldt (1.14) and Mark van Bommel (1.15) had to give up after 28 and 13 games respectively (among all Wolfsburg coaches with a record). Kovac’s average at FC Bayern was 2.26 points after 65 games, Tuchel’s current average is 2.02 after 44 games.
Bayern coach since the start of the championship series: How they went or had to go
Jupp Heynckes – July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €122.4 million for 13 players
After Louis van Gaal’s term came to an early end with a lot of background noise, former coach Heynckes took over again. After three second places in the last titleless season of 2011/12, he can try to return to the top – and celebrates the triple in the summer of 2013. But his farewell is already certain because Munich has signed Pep Guardiola. Heynckes makes it clear that he is not comfortable with all the details of the replacement.
Pep Guardiola – July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2016
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €175.75 million for 15 players
The Catalan star coach is the last Munich coach to leave, as was agreed upon when the contract was signed. Guardiola even suffered four competitive defeats in a row in 2015. The Munich team is eliminated in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup and the Champions League, but they are already confirmed as champions. The former Barcelona coach decides not to extend the contract during his third season. In his Bayern era, the only thing he was denied was the Champions League final.
Carlo Ancelotti – July 1, 2016 to September 28, 2017
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €173.5 million for 9 players
The current successful Real coach is celebrating the double in his first season. When he had to leave early the following season, his team was only in third place in the Bundesliga table. The 3-0 defeat at PSG in September 2017, when Ancelotti stunned the Bayern bosses with his line-up and angered leading players, ensured the Italian’s ice time. Just 17 hours after the slap in Paris, humiliated FC Bayern threw their coach out the door. First Willy Sagnol helps out for a short time, then triple winner Heynckes takes over again until the masterful end of the season.
Niko Kovac – July 1, 2018 to November 3, 2019
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €145.5 million for 8 players
As Heynckes’ successor, Kovac had to deal with his first serious setback in March 2019 with the clear round of 16 exit in the Champions League against Liverpool FC. There is repeated friction with leading players. There are trends in the team that want to get rid of the coach. Kovac celebrates the double in 2019, it ends in autumn. After a 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt after three wins, FC Bayern parted ways with Kovac. At this point, the Munich team is only in fourth place in the table.
Hansi Flick – November 3rd, 2019 to June 30th, 2021
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €66 million for 7 players
As Kovac’s successor, Flick will initially be interim coach, and later he will be given responsibility for the star ensemble for a longer period of time. He records victory after victory. Flick also celebrates the triple and a historic six titles in one year. This gives him a contract extension until June 30, 2023, but the collaboration will be ended early. There are repeated differences of opinion with the then sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. Flick also really wants to succeed Joachim Löw as national coach. The club and coach agree to terminate the contract.
Julian Nagelsmann – July 1st, 2021 to March 24th, 2023
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €204 million for 12 players
After a 1-2 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen after four competitive wins, FC Bayern slipped to second place in the Bundesliga. The then bosses Oliver Kahn and Salihamidzic see the season’s goals at risk and parted ways with Nagelsmann, who had signed a contract until 2026. The team is still involved in the cup and Champions League at this point. “Julian Nagelsmann shouldn’t have gone on a skiing holiday after the defeat in Leverkusen. If he had stayed in Munich, we would have sat down and talked on Monday or Tuesday. And, who knows what would have happened then?” Honorary President Uli Hoeneß raises a separation theory a little later.
Thomas Tuchel – March 24, 2023 to June 30, 2024
© IMAGO
Expenses for new recruits during their term of office: €184 million for 8 players
When the chance of winning the championship became a long way off, FC Bayern announced on February 21st that they were parting ways with Tuchel, who would still finish the season in Munich. The record champion’s championship streak could then be history after eleven titles in a row.
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