“Tactically, Louis van Gaal was far superior to Jupp Heynckes”

Louis van Gaal revolutionized the FC Bayern squad when he came to Munich in the summer of 2009. Also in the luggage of the “General”: Danijel Pranjic. The Croat even financed his transfer to the Isar himself and was under contract with the German record champions for a total of three years. On December 2nd, Pranjic will be 40 years old.

This interview was first published in May 2020.

In an interview with SPOX and Goal tells Pranjic about his eventful time in Munich. From his great but “very difficult” patron van Gaal and his wife Truus. From Franck Ribery, the best player in his career. From hard times under Jupp Heynckes, a lack of patience with Niko Kovac, criticism from the fans and a fictional brawl in Lisbon. And what he’s doing today.

Mr Pranjic, your move from SC Heerenveen to FC Bayern in summer 2009 was accompanied by many critical voices. Few people in Germany even knew you. But Louis van Gaal said: “I really need this player.” Why?

Danijel Pranjic: I was voted second best player in the Eredivisie in 2009. Van Gaal also knew who I was and what I could do from his time as a coach in Alkmaar. When it went against his team, I was always one of the best players. He saw something in me that others didn’t see. When I arrived in Munich, he was very happy and said to me: “Mr. Pranjic, you are here because you are a player who does not lose the ball.” Sounds simple, but it was very important to him to have certain guys in certain positions who don’t do anything complicated and play the ball cleanly from foot to foot. I could.

FC Bayern? “One of the best decisions of my life”

The transfer was still on the brink, because the Munich only wanted to spend 7 instead of the required 7.75 million euros for you. It is said that you paid the missing 750,000 euros out of pocket.

Pranjic: The day my advisors informed me that van Gaal would like me to be at FC Bayern, I ignored everything. Even as a little boy I always wanted to play for a big club and because money was never my top priority, I had no problem helping to finance the transfer. We agreed on three installments of 250,000 euros each, which I paid the club per season. It was one of the best decisions of my life. The experience of playing for a club like FC Bayern cannot be outweighed with any money in the world. The transfer would actually have failed, which in retrospect would have made me pretty unhappy.

How were you received?

Pranjic: As if I had been there for 100 years. Uli Hoeneß, whom I only got to know personally during the medical check, greeted me warmly. FC Bayern is a family club that respects its players. When it comes to dealing with each other and the organization, there is no better club in the European elite for me. I can only say positive things about my teammates. In Ivica Olic, I had a friend on the team who helped me with the language. I also did a lot privately with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

Pranjic: “Van Gaal was obsessed with his philosophy”

How was the work under Van Gaal?

Pranjic: He was a perfectionist who took care of every little detail. If an exercise was not done the way he wanted, he let us repeat it until each of us really mastered it. He was obsessed with his philosophy of playing football as precisely as possible. We players have benefited tremendously from this; personally, I haven’t had any better coaches in my career. But his way of thinking and his work were also a huge benefit for the entire club. Take a look at the games of FC Bayern and games of FC Bayern after Louis van Gaal, there are worlds in between! On the other hand, he was a very difficult person.

In what way?

Pranjic: Personally, I never had any problems with him. But he’s the type of coach you can only work with as a team for one year. Footballers are only people who make mistakes. And with his way of thinking that everything must always be done correctly, he offended a few of us. We didn’t have any leeway and there was seldom any trace of a relaxed atmosphere on the training ground. That might go well for a season, especially since we were also very successful under him with the double win and the entry into the Champions League final in the first year. In the long run, however, such circumstances tend to be problematic for a group of over 25 players.

Pranjic: “Van Gaal wanted Ribery to play on ten”

Which player was the most offensive player with Van Gaal?

Pranjic: Franck Ribery. His relationship with the coach was strained from the first to the last day because van Gaal wanted him to play on the ten, but he was not at all happy about it and insisted on being only used on the left wing. I even believe that if Franck had had a better control of himself and obeyed the coach’s instructions, the atmosphere in the team would have been better and perhaps a longer collaboration with van Gaal would have been possible.

If Ribery had played on ten, you would probably have played more in left midfield.

Pranjic: Don’t get me wrong: it was good for Bavaria and good for Franck himself that he stayed true to his favorite position. He was the best left winger in the world and, by the way, the best teammate I’ve ever had, ahead of Luka Modric and Arjen Robben. And van Gaal saw me as a left defender rather than a left midfielder anyway after a few months because he wasn’t happy with Edson Braafheid. That allowed me to play with Franck, it was fantastic – even if unfortunately he wasn’t always very clear in his head. (laughs)

Danijel Pranjic in profile