After the personnel quake at FC Bayern Munich and the dismissal of CEO Oliver Kahn and the separation from sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, there are many indications that Honorary President Uli Hoeneß will return to the operative business of the German record champions. Between 1978 and 2009, the 71-year-old was the manager at FCB.
On the occasion of Hoeneß’s likely upcoming comeback SPOX on his last years as a manager and the transfers he made at the time. Which players hit and with whom did Hoeneß not have a lucky hand?
All transfers from his last five seasons at FC Bayern under review.
SEASON 2004/2005: Lucio (central defender, came from Bayer Leverkusen for 12 million euros) – RATING: 1.5.
Came to Munich as a world champion and finally became a world-class defender there. Lucio stayed five years and won three championships before moving to Milan. Always feared: his famous excursions to the front.
Torsten Frings (midfielder, came from Borussia Dortmund for 9.25 million euros) – NOTE: 4.
Met his former coach Felix Magath at Bayern. Frings usually played from the start and won the double in his debut season, but he didn’t really fit in Munich. Was sold to Bremen after a year at a loss.
Andreas Görlitz (right-back, came from 1860 Munich for 2.5 million euros) – NOTE: 5.
Tore his cruciate ligament in his first season for Munich and was out for almost two years. After his comeback, Görlitz was loaned out, but his heel caused problems on his return. His expiring contract was not renewed.
Vahid Hashemian (striker, came from VfL Bochum for 2 million euros) – NOTE: 5.
The Iranian joined the record champions from Bochum, but it quickly became clear that this step was too big for him. Hashemian only made 15 games (one goal) for Bayern and was sold to Hannover 96 after a year for 1.3m.
Bixente Lizarazu (left-back, came on a free transfer from Olympique Marseille) – NOTE: 2.5.
Returned for a year and a half after a short stint in Marseille to replace the injured Philipp Lahm. Did well and won two more championships before making way for Lahm and retiring.
SEASON 2005/2006: Valerien Ismael (central defender, came from Werder Bremen for 8.5 million euros) – NOTE: 3.
Was an undisputed regular player in his debut season and won the double with Bayern. In 2006, the Frenchman broke his tibia and fibula before the start of the season and never got back on track. Was sold to Hanover in winter 2008.
Julio dos Santos (midfielder, came from Cerros Porteno for €2.7m) – NOTE: 5.
Came from Paraguay as a possible successor to Michael Ballack but never lived up to expectations. In Wolfsburg he was supposed to gain match practice, but was seriously injured. After two further loan transactions, he was sold free of charge in 2008.
Ali Karimi (midfielder, came on a free transfer from Al-Ahli) – MARK: 4.5.
Asia’s Player of the Year hinted at his potential in his first season: Karimi made 26 appearances for Bayern and won the double. However, he then lost a lot, was only a part-time employee and was transferred to Qatar on a free transfer.
SEASON 2006/2007: Lukas Podolski (forward, came from 1. FC Köln for 10 million euros) – NOTE: 4.5.
Came to Bayern with great advance praise, but was only ever a backup player there. Voted Relegated of the Season in his debut season, scoring 26 times in 106 games. After three years he returned to Cologne without loss.
Daniel Van Buyten (central defender, came from Hamburger SV for 8 million euros) – NOTE: 2.5.
Since his move, he has fluctuated between a role as a backup player and a regular player, but mostly impressed when he was needed. Won the double four times and in 2013 – albeit as a part-time employee – the Champions League. Retired in 2014.
Mark van Bommel (midfielder, came from FC Barcelona for 6 million euros) – NOTE: 2.
After two years, he became the first foreign player to permanently wear the Bayern captain’s armband. His mentality and genius should make him one of the most important players for a long time before he fell out with LvG and fled in 2011.
SEASON 2007/2008: Franck Ribéry (midfielder, came from Olympique Marseille for 30 million euros) – NOTE: 1.
Crowd favourite, club icon and joker! He played 425 competitive games for Bayern and collected 306 points (124 goals, 182 assists). Injuries prevented even more glaring numbers. Undoubtedly the best Hoeneß transfer on this list.
Miroslav Klose (forward, came from Werder Bremen for 15 million euros) – NOTE: 3.5.
After his controversial move from Bremen, he never really got a foothold in Munich. The World Cup record scorer scored 24 goals in 98 Bundesliga games – the worst goal rate of his career. Well coach in Altach.
Marcell Jansen (left-back, came from Borussia Mönchengladbach for 14 million euros) – NOTE: 3.5.
After his move, the left-back was often in the first eleven and won the double, but the then national player never pulled out trees. After just one year he switched to HSV, where he is now even president.
Breno (central defender, came from FC Sao Paulo for 12 million euros) – NOTE: 5.5.
He came as one of the greatest defensive talents and four years later went to jail as a convicted arsonist. He had hardly played a role before. His many injuries were another factor. Today he is without a club.
Luca Toni (striker, came from AC Fiorentina for 11 million euros) – NOTE: 2.
In his first season, the Italian was top scorer with 24 goals. An Achilles tendon injury prevented the second goalscorer before Louis van Gaal mostly benched him in his third and final year.
José Ernesto Sosa (midfielder, came from Estudiantes for 9 million euros) – MARK: 4.5.
FC Bayern was his first stop in Europe. The Argentine was set to replace Deisler but never really got by. After two years as a backup player and an interim loan to Estudiantes, he went to Naples in 2010.
Jan Schlaudraff (striker, came from Alemannia Aachen for 1.2 million euros) – NOTE: 5.
In Aachen, he played his way up to the national team before he got stuck on the bench at Bayern. He only played 248 minutes (5,000 euros per minute converted) and moved to Hanover a year later. Absolute legend there!
Zé Roberto (midfielder, loaned from Club Nacional for €1m) – NOTE: 2.
Returned after a year’s absence and immediately pulled the strings in midfield again. After two strong seasons (32 goals involved), he was unable to agree on a contract extension with FCB. The move to HSV followed.
Hamit Altintop (midfielder, came from FC Schalke 04 on a free transfer) – NOTE: 3.
He was supposed to replace Hasan Salihamidzic, who moved to Juve, and was used regularly despite strong competition. In 109 games, the Turk has scored 13 times and prepared 16 goals. In 2010 he also replaced the suspended Ribery in the CL final.
SEASON: 2007/2008: Tim Borowski (midfielder, came on a free transfer from Werder Bremen) – NOTE: 4.
Somewhat surprisingly, the long-time Bremen resident moved to the Isar and should quickly return to the Weser. After a season with five goals in 26 Bundesliga games, it was already over. Most recently assistant coach to Florian Kohfeldt.
Hans Jörg Butt (goalkeeper, came for free from Benfica Lisbon) – NOTE: 2.
After Kahn’s career ended, Bayern was urgently looking for a new number one – and found it in Butt. Coming as a backup goalkeeper, he became a regular goalkeeper in his first season. Rensing and Kraft could not assert themselves against him either.
Massimo Oddo (right-back, was loaned out from AC Milan without a loan fee) – NOTE: 4.5.
Committed to the full-back positions due to major concerns, his time in Munich was over after 18 mostly weak appearances. FCB let the purchase option expire and Oddo returned to Milan.
Landon Donovan (forward, loaned from LA Galaxy free of charge) – NOTE: 5.
Klinsmann’s dream player only made six brief appearances and moved on to Everton after just three months. The American is probably one of Bayern’s biggest transfer misunderstandings.
