Flick the key to Bayern’s league triumph
BAYERN Munich effectively won the German Bundesliga title in November when it appointed Hansi Flick as coach.
Flick restored the joy of playing to a side that was uncertain and unbalanced under previous coach Niko Kovac, tightened a defense that was prone to mistakes and transformed the team into a relentless and efficient winning machine.
The 55-year-old former Germany assistant placed his trust in young players like Joshua Zirkzee, turned Canadian teen Alphonso Davies into an outstanding left back, converted David Alaba into an excellent center back, and got the best out of players like Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Flick’s side finally sealed the title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win at Werder Bremen.
“This is just the first step,” said Flick, whose team is well-placed to reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and has a German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen on July 4.
The team had been spluttering under Kovac, dropping points across half its league games and losing two from the 10 played. Its defensive record was its worst since Juergen Klinsmann was coach in 2008.
The club bosses finally fired Kovac on November 3, one day after his team slumped to a 1-5 loss at his former side Eintracht Frankfurt on November. 2. It was Bayern’s heaviest league loss for more than 10 years.
Kovac had led Bayern to a league and cup double the season before but never had the full backing of the club’s leadership.
“It’s just not happening. Something has to change,” Bayern captain Manuel Neuer complained after the loss in Frankfurt.
Bayern put Kovac’s assistant Flick in charge “for the time being.”
He never looked back. Bayern is currently on a 14-game winning run, including the 3-0 win over Chelsea in London in the UCL.
Flick didn’t keep his “interim” status for long. Bayern tied the 55-year-old to a new deal through June 2023 in April.
There are also other reasons Bayern has won an unprecedented eight consecutive title, mostly tied to the club’s financial might. Lucrative sponsorship deals — including a deal with Qatar Airways — helped Bayern post record turnover of 750.4 million euros (US$845 million) and record profits of 146.1 euros for the 2018-19 season.
(AP)