Julian Nagelsmann spoke about the great pressure he is under as Bayern Munich coach. But he also learned a lot from his time with the German record champions.
“After defeats, I feel ashamed. I’m self-critical and question a lot of things,” Nagelsmann said in an interview with the World. At the same time, the FCB coach is also “open to factual criticism. I reflect a lot and have adjusted many things at Bayern: to the squad, to the quality of the players, to the size of the club”.
He didn’t always get along well with the enormous pressure to perform, especially at the beginning of his time in Bayern. “Before my move, I naturally imagined what I could expect as a Bayern coach and got a lot of information about it,” said Nagelsmann. “What you can’t fully prepare for, however, is what extreme black-and-white thinking there is sometimes.”
The Champions League round of 16 duel against Paris Saint-Germain is an example of this. Many media and experts criticized his switch from a four-man to a three-man chain beforehand, “after that it was praised as the greatest tactic of all,” said Nagelsmann. “You experience the fast pace of football at FC Bayern in extremes. If we had been eliminated, everyone would have said: catastrophic tactics by Nagelsmann, why did he let Stanisic play?”
This precise observation from the outside is also reflected in other areas, such as at press conferences or in the general appearance of the 35-year-old. He had to learn how to deal with it: “Someone who has no opinion gets through life easily. But I’d rather have one. Because I don’t think they’re happier without an opinion. That also has to do with courage and setting an example.”
FC Bayern Munich: Julian Nagelsmann about his players
There are also differences in his work compared to previous coaching stations in the interaction with the players. Nagelsmann could demand significantly more personal responsibility from the players at FC Bayern. “My credo is: Courage is the anagram of luck. I’ve always tried to choose a courageous approach. And I want to set an example for the players,” said the Bayern coach
He then wants to see this approach from his protégés on the pitch. “Before we have bureaucrats on the field who just push the ball from left to right and the spectators fall asleep, they should try something and take risks,” explained Nagelsmann. “With the risk that something will go wrong. Sometimes I might have a little more emotion. But anyone who hires a young coach is aware of that.”
