Connect with us

Bundesliga

Why FC Bayern is exactly right with the change of coach

Published

on

Why FC Bayern is exactly right with the change of coach

The dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern surprised many. Replacing him with Thomas Tuchel is spot on.

A year and a half ago, Julian Nagelsmann was introduced as the new coach of FC Bayern Munich – to the delight of the vast majority of football experts and FCB fans.

A young tactics freak with a cool hairstyle and trendy jackets has now taken over the largest football club in Germany – only about 20 months later, however, he’s gone again.

The message made the rounds on Thursday evening SPOX and GOAL can confirm: Bayern releases Nagelsmann! The 35-year-old is to be succeeded by Thomas Tuchel, the best trainer currently available on the market.

As is well known, Bayern have had their eye on the former Chelsea and PSG coach for a long time. And with Nagelsmann out of favor and Tuchel available, the FCB bosses wasted no time in making the best decision they could have made.

It is less about whether and in which points Nagelsmann failed. Much more important is how much potential there is in Tuchel’s installation.

Sure, Nagelsmann is an outstanding coach and he will prove that elsewhere. He was already successful before he came to Munich. And he leaves the club with a German championship title in his pocket.

But in Tuchel, Bayern now have a mature coach who can already demonstrate success at the very highest level – and who could help FCB win silverware this season, especially in the Champions League.

Tuchel’s standing conveys respect

Nagelsmann’s dismissal came precipitously. At that point in time, right at the beginning of an international break.

Although the situation in the Allianz Arena had been tense for some time, his dismissal was not expected. In fact, Nagelsmann was on a skiing holiday himself when the news began to circulate. He first found out about her through the media, which of course is a bad sign for Bayern’s style.

However, there were clear warning signs. Nagelsmann had lost the respect of some leading players. It was felt that he was too quick to criticize his side after a defeat and was unwilling to take his share of the blame.

His relationship with the board was also broken. And he had also fallen out with the club’s most important player, Manuel Neuer.

The German national goalkeeper has had a turbulent few months: first he broke his lower leg in a skiing accident, then his good friend and longtime goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic was fired. He then gave an explosive interview in the Süddeutsche Zeitung and at The Athleticwith which he drew the ire of Nagelsmann and the board of directors.

The manager also struggled to dampen the uproar the irregular playing time had caused for Joao Cancelo. Signed from Manchester City in January, the full-back was hailed as a key arrival for a side in need of a man on the defensive wings. However, the Portuguese has been sparsely used and so far has proved more of a distraction off the field than an advantage on the pitch.

Luckily for Bayern, they are now bringing in a damage limitation specialist. Tuchel has experienced a lot of drama in the dressing room in his career. And he’s already shared it with the biggest egos at some of the biggest clubs.

He is a coach who has coached PSG with Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. He has grappled with the Chelsea boss’s extraordinary desires. He has even taken on the unenviable task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund.

Commitment to Bayern is certainly not an easy job. But Tuchel will know how to balance the different personalities. And he is not afraid of challenges.

Tuchel has tactical conviction

You may never know exactly what has been going on behind the scenes at FC Bayern over the last few days and weeks – both in the boardroom and in the dressing room. But the problems on the pitch were plain to see for everyone.

Bayern are incredibly inconsistent in the Bundesliga, from a clear win against title rivals Union Berlin to a 1-2 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen, everything was there recently.

Above all, Bayern have recently lacked tactical conviction. The performance was also so inconsistent because Nagelsmann could never commit to one system. He had principles, but no continuity.

For a while he tried to occupy the center of the pitch and play mostly through Robert Lewandowski. Then, when the opponents adjusted, he switched systems. Since the Pole’s departure, Nagelsmann has experimented even more, spreading his side wide which meant they struggled to create chances.

In contrast, Tuchel will stick to his tactical approach. The German has evolved over the years, moving from the counter-pressing idealism of his Dortmund days to a more pragmatic 3-4-3 at Chelsea.

No matter where Tuchel trains, he always has a clear system. It fits that it’s noisy skyreporter Florian Plettenberg Tuchel’s offer of a clearly structured, inspiring project was what prompted Bayern to make this surprising change of coach.

And that’s understandable, after all, Bayern are in a precarious phase of the season. They are only second in the Bundesliga and have to face Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in three weeks’ time – there’s little time to brood.

Tuchel will have his ideas and he will implement them. And it is precisely this that has, as is well known, already led to outstanding results in the past.

Tuchel: Pep’s worst nightmare?

Bayern coaches are always cursed with immense expectations. That comes naturally with working at such a big club.

Bayern don’t have to win the Champions League every year, as is expected with PSG, for example. But FCB has the aspiration to at least always go far in the premier class. And in big games, like the upcoming quarterfinals against Manchester City, you want to be as competitive as possible.

So it’s only logical that Bayern bring in the coach that City boss Pep Guardiola fears the most. The Spaniard, in his own way, admitted it with his typical flattery.

“He’s so creative,” Guardiola said of Tuchel in 2022. “He’s one of the few coaches I’m constantly learning from to become a better coach myself.” The former BVB coach is “excellent in all areas. I’ve liked him since he was in Mainz. I enjoy watching his teams and the way he plays and how he works. He makes world football better. “

Tuchel has had some significant success against Guardiola during his time at Chelsea, beating City three times in a row – including in the 2021 Champions League final.

Of course, coaches aren’t just hired for single games, at least they shouldn’t be. But it’s a practical coincidence that Bayern can bring in Tuchel less than a month before Europe’s biggest game of the season against City.

Tuchel: Short and long-term success

Bayern didn’t necessarily have to sack Nagelsmann – at least not in the middle of the season.

But perhaps the climax of all this tension comes at just the right time for the German record champions. You can now get the man you’ve wanted for years – and at a crucial time in the season.

Dortmund, who are currently one point ahead of Bayern in the Bundesliga, are their next opponents. A defeat would seriously jeopardize FCB’s championship series, while a win would restore the much-desired control.

Nevertheless, the whole situation is quite atypical for FC Bayern. It’s been a long time since the nickname “FC Hollywood” was really present around Säbener Straße. Bayern have not parted with a coach so quickly since Carlo Ancelotti in September 2017 – and the Italian’s departure felt very friendly at the time.

At that time you didn’t have a perfect replacement and you were forced to put your trust in Jupp Heynckes. This time it’s different. This time Bayern get the best possible coach in Tuchel, the right man at the right time.

Trending