FC Bayern: Marco Neppe explains FCB’s transfer policy
ONLY GERMANY Hasan Salihamidzic Bayern Munich
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Marco Neppe would have brought the player Hasan Salihamidzic to Bayern – despite his speed values.
Technical Director Marco Neppe explained what is important to FC Bayern Munich when it comes to transfers. He gave insights into the commitment of Serge Gnabry. “The key question is: How does a team act together? The most fascinating individual pieces of the puzzle do not create the most beautiful overall picture. Our squad should be planned in such a way that our fans can identify with their team, we play attractive football and maximum success is possible,” explained Neppe told the club media and explained: “Our squad should have a magnetic effect – on the fans as well as on the top players from all over the world.”
Neppe, who was active in the scouting department for three years before being promoted to technical director before the current season and is now responsible for squad planning at FC Bayern together with sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, also explained the process of a transfer using Gnabry.
FC Bayern: Successors to Robben and Ribery were sought
Today’s national player signed with the German record champions in 2017, but only joined the team after a one-year loan to TSG Hoffenheim. At that time, successors had to be found for Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, who were “on the home stretch of their careers”. “We want the players to know their profile and therefore their strengths and weaknesses. Because that’s why they are with us. We didn’t want to and couldn’t clone Franck or Arjen, but we promised Serge that he would be one of the players can help to close the gap between the two,” explained Neppe.
Trust is the “decisive factor. We believe in our players and trust them. Serge has made his way with us,” added the 35-year-old. That is also one of the reasons why FC Bayern stands out from other top clubs at international level. “At Bayern, the quantity of the squad is special in an international comparison. That’s part of our strategy, because we create permeability for talents like Josip Stanisic, Paul Wanner or Malik Tillman,” said Neppe and added: “Other clubs say “We need 25 top international players to achieve our goals. We at FC Bayern are convinced that there is another way. What impresses me about our squad is the willingness of our top players to pass on their experience.
Neppe: “A player should be proud to play for Bayern”
The Munich company’s recipe for success is also the constant change of generations. “From Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ribery and Robben to Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski to Kimmich, Leon Goretzka to Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala,” he said: “Challenging yourself and encouraging others: that’s it the spirit of FC Bayern. We have to keep it.”
Nevertheless, in addition to sporting quality, many attributes are needed to assert oneself at Bayern. “Mentality, character, will, teamwork, discipline and courage. You should also have a gift for reflection in order to be able to assess yourself and everything around you. You also have to be able to deal with pressure, you need resilience. And without fun, dedication, passion and greed you’ll never get far anyway. Identification is also a key keyword for us. A player should be proud to play for FC Bayern,” said Neppe.
Neppe jokes about Salihamidzic’s jerseys being too big
Neppe also joked about the active player Salihamidzic. “I always joke with him now about the jerseys from back then: he could have been even faster, but the jersey was too big and used to inflate so much when sprinting that it looked like a braking parachute,” he explained.
Nowadays, he might still have brought the former winger to Munich: “As a player, Hasan had a very interesting profile, an incredible mentality and extreme willingness to work. He occupied a position that is still in great demand on the international market today. We would have looked at him closely. He was one of the players where Bayern’s imagination paid off.”