Bayern Munich Controversies: Bayern Munich vs Man City LIVE: Prior to Wednesday’s second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match against Manchester City, the Bavarians have fallen into complete pandemonium. Reporters adopted a new moniker in the 1990s: FC Hollywood. In an effort to convey the drama and enormous egos present in the club. Bayern has recently reverted to using the FC Hollywood title. Follow all football stories LIVE on InsideSport.IN
During the peak of the speculation surrounding David Alaba’s future at Bayern Munich in 2020, Thomas Muller was questioned about the possibility of the prolonged contract negotiations affecting the Austrian’s performances. Muller stated in an interview with Sky Sport, “David is still independent on the field and not impacted by it.” as he rejected the notion
Furthermore, Thomas Muller added: “It’s also interesting for the audience: it’s nice when there’s a little bit of drama at the club,” he argued. “I used to enjoy reading about that stuff – FC Hollywood – and now you can watch it live!”
– @Plettigoal: ‘From what I’m hearing, Bayern will try everything to offload Sadio Mané in the summer. From a sporting point of view, Thomas Tuchel has no plans with Mané as he doesn’t fit his system. This is my information. The player is seen very critically internally’ [Sky90] pic.twitter.com/2O4FVE1Q7y
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) April 16, 2023
The embarrassing nickname
The moniker FC Hollywood was established during the 1990s, which was potentially the most tumultuous era in Bayern’s history.
During this time, renowned players like Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann, Stefan Effenberg, and Mario Basler dominated both on and off the field, and Munich witnessed a carousel of coaching changes.
Towards the conclusion of the club’s initial golden period in the 1970s, a revolt within the dressing room resulted in the removal of coach Gyula Lorant. The team preferred his assistant, Pal Csernai, to become the new head coach, but club president Wilhelm Neudecker chose Max Merkel instead.
The players rebelled again, this time unanimously opposing the appointment of the Austrian coach (16-0). A humiliated Nuedecker resigned from his position, and Willi O. Hoffmann took over as the new president, while Csernai stayed as a coach, despite Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Uli Hoeness having more significant influence.
“For the first time in the history of German football, a few players took over an entire club,” Thomas Huetlin stated in his book ‘Gute Freunde.‘
No team has held such significant authority since, but there is still a belief that the coach is the weakest link at Bayern. Recent events have done little to alter this perception.
Transfer of David Alaba: A mistake?
The outcome of that particular incident wasn’t favorable for Bayern, as David Alaba eventually departed for Real Madrid on a free transfer. However, in the bigger picture, his exit did not cause an excessive amount of disruption.
In comparison to the current turmoil engulfing the club, it was relatively insignificant.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been firings, conflicts in the dressing room, and woeful losses, leading to speculation of FC Hollywood’s return after years of stability.
As a result, there is a legitimate concern that a season that commenced with the possibility of winning a treble might conclude with Bayern failing to secure the Bundesliga title for the first time since 2012.
What is going on with Sadio Mane & Leroy Sane?
Mane has been punished and suspended over allegations of hitting his teammate during a post-match argument, and Bayern Munich considers the matter resolved. However, rumors regarding Mane’s future with the club are likely to persist.
Mane’s first season with Bayern has been challenging. He has reportedly struggled to adapt and his hefty salary, along with his poor performance, has become a topic of discussion among his teammates.
There were also claims of a heated argument with Nagelsmann before the latter’s dismissal, and while Tuchel has taken over, it is uncertain whether Mane will play a significant role under the new manager. In fact, Mane was relegated to the bench for matches against Dortmund and City, which is significant.
Was Julian Nagelsmann really the problem?
In February, following a 3-2 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach, Nagelsmann directed a vehement outburst at the match officials, which journalists in the mixed zone witnessed as he headed for the referee’s dressing room.
A little over a month later, during a game in Leverkusen, Nagelsmann criticized his team for being “lazy” and having a “zero percent work rate.” Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, also criticized the players, acknowledging that he had seldom seen such a lack of drive, mentality, fight, and assertiveness.
In addition, although Salihamidzic and CEO Oliver Kahn have maintained that the decision was based solely on performance, it is evident that Tottenham, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of long-term target Thomas Tuchel also contributed to Bayern’s sudden decision to change coaches.
Editors pick
