dpa
Munich
Former Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has called on the club to be more discreet in their prolonged search for a new coach.
Baver Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann and Austria’s Ralf Rangnick have all turned down the chance to succeed Thomas Tuchel, who leaves in June after Bayern surrendered the Bundesliga title to Leverkusen for the first time in 12 years.
Former Bayern player Rummenigge, who stepped down as chief executive in 2021, told Spanish newspaper AS before Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg at Real Madrid that leaks to the media have not helped.
“I can only recommend becoming a little more secretive again,” said the 68-year-old, addressing successor Jan-Christian Dreesen as well as new Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund.
Rummenigge cited Bayern’s successful pursuit of Pep Guardiola in 2013 after he took a year out following his Barcelona resignation. The football world was shocked when the Germans secured his signature over other European heavyweights.
“When we signed Pep, we worked on the operation for a total of six months and nobody knew about it,” he said. “You have to proceed strategically, but without the next move being in all the newspapers every day.”
Former Bayern reserve team coach Erik ten Hag, now at Manchester United, is the latest name to be linked with the Bavarians in the media despite heavy criticism in England over his team and tactics.
Bayern sporting director Freund told reporters on Tuesday that no deadline has been set for when a new coach needs to be recruited.
“No, we have never set ourselves a deadline. We want to find someone who fits Bayern Munich 100%, someone who is really keen on our project,” he said.
“I am convinced that we will find the right person.” He responded to Rummenigge’s advice by acknowledging that leaks were sometimes hard to stop.
“Bayern Munich is of course a huge club. Everyone wants to know what’s going on. I think it’s very, very rare for a club to have so much of a circus around it,” added Freund.
“It’s of course best when we can work on things internally...and then only tell the world when there is an announcement.”
Freund is one of a number of new faces behind the scenes at Bayern after a revolving door of staff in recent years since Rummenigge retired.
“Recently, we have veered off course a little, both on the pitch and at management level,” Rummenigge added.
“Bayern need to regain the stability...that has always characterized the club. You have to remember that people like Uli (Hoeneß), Franz (Beckenbauer) and I have been at the helm of this ship for a hundred years, at least that’s what it feels like.
“It’s difficult to achieve that kind of longevity in a leadership position, but Bayern need to get back on the path of continuity.”
