Crazy story! When ex-Bayern coach Felix Magath allegedly wanted to heal an injury with cheese

Magath’s time at Fulham only lasted around six months. An alleged measure by the trainer causes astonishment to this day.

It was just a minor thigh injury. Nothing really worth mentioning. And yet Brede Hangeland and Felix Magath still share the report of a very unusual measure that the German coach is said to have taken because of the injury.

It was the 2013/14 season and the then 32-year-old FC Fulham defender was prescribed the usual regeneration measures for his injury by the team doctor in order to quickly get fit again for the upcoming game: massages, rest, lots of rest.

According to that Guardians Magath, Fulham’s trainer from February to September 2014, had another idea: He is said to have asked the kit manager to get a large block of cheese. And Hangeland should then apparently press this onto the site of the injury for the rest of the afternoon in order to speed up the healing process.

Whether this curious instruction really existed or not: a little later, for the new 2014/15 season, Hangeland left Fulham for Crystal Palace – and criticized Magath for his way of working: “It’s very difficult to work with him,” said He at Sky Sports News. “His main tool is to break his players mentally and physically to get results. Is that the right approach for English football? I don’t think so.”

Felix Magath denies alleged cheese story

In any case, Magath later denied the story about the cheese: “That’s cheese,” emphasized the 69-year-old. His only tip for Hangeland was to “try the old house recipe Quark”. “I would never tell a doctor what to do.” In addition, it was not a muscle injury at all, but an inflammation in the knee.

Cheese madness or not: Magath’s time at Fulham was by no means successful: although the Londoners improved from 20th place to 19th place under him, he was unable to prevent relegation from the Premier League.

In the following second division season, the Londoners then lost all of their first four games – and when the relegated team was in last place with just one point after seven games, Magath had to go.