Opinion
Dismissal of Kahn and Salihamidzic
Soap opera instead of championship party: FC Bayern gives a disastrous picture
Will no longer be friends: Ex-Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn and Herbert Hainer, President of FC Bayern Munich.
© Christian Charisius / DPA
Instead of celebrating the eleventh championship title in a row, FC Bayern Munich gives a disastrous picture. Immediately after the final whistle, the separation of Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic became known – the celebratory mood is gone and suits this season.
When at 5:22 p.m. in Cologne-Müngersdorf it was certain that FC Bayern Munich were again German champions, the joy of the players knew no bounds. Thanks to the Mainzer Schützenhilfe in Dortmund, the Bavarians were again allowed to stretch the championship trophy into the early evening sky. But the joy quickly gave way to disillusionment, and within minutes the championship faded completely into the background.
At 5.44 p.m. the breaking news ran on the news ticker: Bayern are parting ways with CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. The “Kicker” and the “Bild” had previously reported on the separation. FC Hollywood is back, but the whole Kahn/Salihamidzic affair is degenerating into a first-rate soap opera.
The way the separation took place and was communicated reflects a disastrous season at Bayern. But it also shows that no one in Munich really expected the title.
How else can you explain the fact that the news bursts into the team’s championship celebrations that the bosses have to go? How else can it be explained that Herbert Hainer’s supervisory board made the decision before the last match day and not after the season as originally planned? The supervisory board would have met on Monday anyway, the decision to dismiss was foreseeable.
Tablecloth between Kahn and Bayern Munich is torn
The fact that Oliver Kahn himself comments on his separation on Twitter and writes that he “was forbidden by the club” to celebrate with the team shows the completely torn tablecloth in the club, which gives a devastating picture to the outside world. Another barrel is opened at Bayern that could not have been more unnecessary. Kahn was absent from the game in Cologne, the club said he was “sick”. However, rumors about the separation were already circulating during the game.
The broadside of the former goalkeeping titan Kahn against his ex-club on Twitter fits into the completely screwed up and undignified external presentation of this separation, which should not go uncommented either. “I heard from Kahn that he wasn’t allowed to come. It’s not my construction site now, but there’s already a picture that’s a bit questionable,” said ex-Bayern player Toni Kroos to the “Real total” portal. . “Insane. I really don’t have the words. Way, timing,” ex-Bayern striker Sandro Wagner was stunned. This way of separation is a “defeat for the whole club”. Even if football is a fast-moving business, the reactions of ex-players and outsiders show that Bayern’s reputation has been permanently damaged.
The separation was foreseeable and logical after the chaos of the past few months, which culminated in the questionable dismissal of the coach and the communication of that decision, but the timing was extremely questionable. “Instead of celebrating, we now have the next political topic,” explained a thoughtful Thomas Tuchel, who had found out about the separation the day before. This topic clouds the championship.
Immediately after the final whistle, Thomas Müller demonstrated that the team was also unhappy with the way the announcement was made. “This is coming now, a minute after the final whistle,” asked a visibly surprised Müller, who, like the rest of the team, was informed of the dismissal on Friday. The fact that this message was sent to the team the day before an important game also shows how tactless the approach on the supervisory board is.
The upheaval has begun at Bayern
With the record, series and record series champions, the house blessing is hugely wrong, but it also shows that the upheaval in the club is in full swing. Coach Thomas Tuchel will have to rebuild the squad in the summer – if he is allowed to stay. Again, nothing is out of the question after this season. Since the departure of Robert Lewandowski, his team has been missing a target player up front who can decide games on his own. But the depth of the squad will also be crucial if Bayern want to launch an attack on the European leaders.
In addition, leading players are rare in the team – and with Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer, two of them will end their careers in the foreseeable future. For Tuchel it will also be about having to form a unit from a squad of stars. No crew can use secondary theaters of war, such as short-term trips to Paris for fashion shows or a fight in the cabin.
On Sunday afternoon, Bayern are expected to celebrate the championship at Marienplatz in the heart of Munich. Despite the title, however, the championship mood has completely evaporated in the club. It is the sad climax of a season that, despite the title, turned into a disaster for Bayern.