Is Julian Nagelsmann now under scrutiny?

After FC Bayern got a good deal on the transfer market, expectations of coach Julian Nagelsmann have increased. That reports the sports picture. Accordingly, the 35-year-old is in his second season on the test bench.

The specifications would not only be that Nagelsmann wins more than one title, but that he also noticeably develops the young talents. On the transfer market, Bayern have strengthened their squad this summer with spending of over 130 million euros.

Hasan Salihamidzic, who was previously the focus of criticism, is now apparently about to extend his contract. That might put the pressure on the coach.

Many fans were disappointed that Julian Nagelsmann hardly relied on young players last season. The team initially struggled with corona cases and injuries in the second half of the season, but did not deliver convincing performances, especially in the decisive phase of the season. With the squad restructuring, there should now be no more excuses. Nagelsmann is required. Also because Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer of recent years, switched to FC Barcelona.

Toni, Klose, Gomez & Co.: Bayern strikers and their stories

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In 2009, Mario Gomez became Bayern’s record transfer fee of 30 million euros. His departure was less famous, which wasn’t his fault. On his 37th birthday (July 10, 2022) we look at famous Bayern goalscorers and their stories…

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We’ll start with a special case: After eight years, Robert Lewandowski wants to leave Munich of his own free will.

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It was different with his predecessors in the almost 20 years before, they always had to go or were gallantly complimented out the back door. But one after anonther …

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GIOVANE ELBER: After six extremely successful years, Bayern suddenly had no use for Elber in the summer of 2003. “I definitely don’t play with Elber, Pizarro and Makaay,” said coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

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“It would be better for the whole club if Giovane left,” Hitzfeld added. “The future belongs to Makaay, Pizarro and Santa Cruz.” But Makaay was already in Munich by then.

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Uli Hoeneß put it much more drastically: It would be “a mental illness to keep him. What do we do with Santa Cruz then? He is the future of FC Bayern!”

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After Makaay’s commitment for the club’s record sum of 18.75 million euros, things got tighter and tighter for Elber, at the time the most successful foreign Bundesliga striker.

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In the summer of 2003, after scoring 139 goals in 266 games, Elber signed for Bayern at Olympique Lyon.

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ROY MAKAAY: It was the classic Bayern transfer: first filled the hut for the Munich team and then it was bought. After four goals in two CL games, Hoeneß released the player from La Coruna.

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And Makaay delivered brutally, was the desired killer in front of goal and shot himself into the hearts of the fans with important goals.

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With the – from Bayern’s point of view – disaster season 2006/07 there was a break in the relationship between Makaay and his employer.

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The pure clipper turned into a lazy, invisible ghost who only strolls across the square. The bosses took the missed CL qualification as an opportunity to turn around.

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60 million euros were spent on new players, including Miro Klose and Luca Toni. Makaay became superfluous – and left for Rotterdam one day before the start of training.

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MIROSLAV KLOSE: He was part of the Bavarian challenge to the transfer market. The first season in Munich was extremely strong, but with the change of coach came the gradual drop in performance.

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Especially with Louis van Gaal and his obsession for positional play without many crosses, Klose disappeared more and more from the scene and found himself more and more often on the bench.

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In the last two seasons in Munich, Klose only scored twelve goals in 65 competitive games, and only four in 45 (!) games in the Bundesliga.

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“I had four very nice and successful years here in Munich, and I would like to thank FC Bayern very much for that,” said Klose before saying goodbye to Lazio.

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LUCA TONI: The second big fish of the Bavarian shopping tour of the summer of 2007. Luca Toni hit the ground running on several levels in Munich.

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As a goalscorer with 39 goals in his debut season in 46 competitive games. With his idiosyncratic (T)ohrjubel, as a discovery of a real Munich wall player in attack.

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But similar to his heart mate Klose, Toni also had significant problems with Van Gaal. And they got so violent that there were smaller and larger scandals.

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After being substituted by Schalke at half-time, Toni left the stadium in a rage during the game and rushed home.

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It was the beginning of the end for Toni and his time in Munich. In the end, it was sometimes not even enough for the bench, instead Toni took a seat in the stands.

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Toni fled back home and joined FC Genoa. Because his successor was snapping like crazy for Bayern at that point.

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MARIO GOMEZ: The Stuttgarter came for the record sum of 30 million euros, should the future of Bayern play a decisive role.

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Although Gomez hit like a conveyor belt, but then came a few injuries. Nevertheless, Gomez wanted to stay longer and in the spring of 2012 extended his contract until 2016.

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However, the devastating outcome of the 2011/12 season with three runners-up titles including the lost final at home led to a rethink among the bosses.

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In January 2013, Pep Guardiola signed a contract with Bayern to succeed Jupp Heynckey. For Gomez the signal for a change of air.

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After 174 games with 113 goals, Gomez made the triple perfect with a brace in the cup final against Stuttgart – then came the move to Florence.

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MARIO MANDZUKIC: And another “Guardiola victim”. Mario Mandzukic fled Munich after just a year under Guardiola.

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“I just don’t like the style that Guardiola plays at Bayern. I can’t do my best in this kind of football. If that’s the case, then it’s best for everyone if we go our separate ways,” explained him his exit.

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But by then the tablecloth had long since been cut. More and more often there was a real bang between the coach and his center forward. Mandzukic is said to have acknowledged an emotional speech by his superior with a provocative grin.

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Guardiola kept banning Mandzukic from the squad, with the “highlight” in the cup final against BVB when Mandzukic was dropped 24 hours before the game.

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The day after, Mandzukic skipped the double celebration at Marienplatz. Atletico became Mandzukic’s client – who didn’t want to face the competition with a certain Robert Lewandowski.

FC Bayern: Nagelsmann reflects on himself

During the summer break, the ex-Leipziger is said to have exchanged ideas with his leading players – also by phone. According to the report, Nagelsmann should want to adjust a few things compared to last season. For example, he wants to change the system less often.

“Now Julian has to prove that he can manage this team. The expectations of the fans and those responsible are higher, Julian has to show that he can also deal with dissatisfied players,” analyzes Lothar Matthäus in the sports picture. The ex-world champion sees the trainer as a “moderator of the squad asked”. Leaving the cup and Champions League last season was “not Bayern-like”.

FC Bayern: Coach with the best point average (at least 20 games)

Coach (tenure)	games	points per game
Hansi Flick (2019-2021)	86	2.53
Jupp Heynckes (2017-2018)	41	2.49
Jupp Heynckes (2011-2013)	109	2.43
Pep Guardiola (2013-2016)	161	2.41
Carlo Ancelotti (2016-2017)	60	2.28
Niko Kovac (2018-2019)	65	2.26
Julian Nagelsmann (since 2021)	43	2.26