The new sports director Max Eberl has a lot of work to do: FC Bayern needs a new coach for the new season – according to Eberl, the record champions did not have any concrete discussions with Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso or other coaches during their search for a coach. “We have a list of priorities that we want to work through now,” said the 50-year-old on Sky after the 8-1 win against Mainz. There are “many facets” when looking for a coach – the possible transfer is one of them.
Whoever becomes the new coach at Säbener Straße could also have an influence on the squad. Because a major change is about to take place here. A name that keeps coming up: Joshua Kimmich. Basically, Eberl said when he was introduced as Munich’s sports director, there is “no need to think” about a deserving national player like Kimmich. But the 29-year-old, Eberl added, is currently experiencing “the dark side of football” – and his contract ends in 2025. So you can only earn good money with Kimmich in the summer. “We have to think about it: what happens next?” emphasized Eberl, and “what are his mind games?”
Kimmich: “Not really bad here – even if the last few years haven’t been that successful in terms of sport”
Kimmich revealed this after the Mainz game: “In general, my situation is very clear. I still have over a year left on my contract. Nobody has spoken to me yet. That’s why I’m very relaxed,” said Kimmich. “At the end of the day, for me it’s just about showing my performance. We have a European Championship coming up and then we’ll see what happens – I can’t influence the rest,” said the 29-year-old.
“I feel comfortable in Munich. It’s not that bad here, even if the last few years haven’t been that successful in terms of sport.” Although Munich became champions, FC Bayern fell short of their expectations in the Champions League and DFB Cup.
Praise for Kimmich as a right-back
In addition, Kimmich does not play where he prefers to play: in central midfield. The national player was also deeply affected by the fact that current coach Thomas Tuchel withdrew his trust in him because of his eternal desire for a “Holding Six”. Kimmich also had to accept increasing criticism of himself. In the last few games, Tuchel Kimmich lined up as a right-back – the position in which he will also play under national coach Julian Nagelsmann at the home European Championship.
In the game against SC Freiburg, his anger was clearly visible, but against Mainz, Kimmich was one of the top performers. “He has already proven in his career that he can be an outstanding right-back. I think it was clear in the first game that he has to get used to it again. Now you can tell from game to game that he feels more comfortable there. I don’t know of any right-back in the world who can have such an influence on the game,” his teammate Leon Goretzka explained Kimmich’s current situation.
And Tuchel added: “We’ve been good twice now and he played right-back twice. He played that in the first half in Freiburg too, but we weren’t so good there. Today he was noticeably good.”
Kimmich “important and deserving player at FC Bayern”
There was also praise from sports director Christoph Freund: “Jo played a really good game, just like on Tuesday (against Lazio Rome, note d. Red.). There will also be discussions with him – he is a really good footballer, a very important factor for our team.”
And what’s next for Kimmich? “It depends on the new coach how he sees him. At the moment he is needed on the right side and he does that very well and is a great help. He will also play there at the European Championships, so that’s it It’s an advantage for German football that he’s now playing there. But he’s also a player for the center. There hasn’t been a conversation with Joshua yet, but that will come. He’s a very important and deserving player at FC Bayern Munich,” said Eberl.