Even though that never looked like it on the outside: Hans-Dieter Flick, whom everyone calls Hansi, talks a lot, if not very loud at times.
The former assistant coach of FC Bayern talked for example with Renato Sanches, as this briefly played in the summer again in the foreground. He talked to Javi Martínez when he sat on the bench at the beginning of October and was supposed to cry because he was never used. In almost every training the 54-year-old talks to the junior pros and most recently to Niko Kovac.
Flick encourages, Flick comforts, Flick gets involved, he's done just what you'd expect from a co-trainer: he made sure everything went as smoothly as possible in the background. And he sometimes went to where it hurt right now. For example, last Saturday, after the 1: 5 at Eintracht Frankfurt: to the fence, to the angry fans.
Uwe Anspach / DPA
Bayern interim coach Hansi Flick: "An outstanding good man for the second row"
Transitional solution, until ten Hag comes?
After the separation of FC Bayern from Kovac Flick but now moves into an unfamiliar role for him: in the front row, as interim coach. Bayern's next two matches against Olympiacos Piraeus on Wednesday in the Champions League (18.55 / live ticker SPIEGEL, TV: Sky) and on Saturday against Borussia Dortmund are trend-setting for the club. If Flick succeeds in a footballing and emotional turn, he may remain head coach for a longer time. Maybe even until the end of the season, if the desired candidate should not be available until next summer. He could be Erik ten Hag, currently coach of Ajax Amsterdam.
Hansi Flick is considered a nice person in the football industry - and he has a very good reputation. He is considered to be an extremely competent professional who often had more influence on the success of a team in the background than was obvious at first glance.
In August 2006 he became assistant to the then new national coach Joachim Löw. But Flick was never a mere hat, he was Löw's corrective. In the World Cup triumph of the German national team in 2014 in Brazil, he had a significant share: Flick convinced Loew to put more emphasis on standard situations and devised variants - a means that the national coach had previously despised. With six of a total of 18 German World Cup goals by resting balls or after the standards were a key to winning the title.
Kai Pfaffenbach / REUTERS
Man in the background: At the World Cup triumph of the German national team in 2014 Hansi Flick (right) had a large share. He increasingly trained standard situations, which were a key to winning the title.
"He is an outstanding man for the second row, an ideal partner," says the DFB from someone who was there at the time and knows Flick for years. "He could be burned in the position of head coach, but he may not be too headstrong for the football business."
But now moves Flick just the kriselnden FC Bayern in the front row - a club that is quite known for wayward minds. The club's leadership had signed him in the summer as a candidate of Kovac, after his former assistant coach Peter Hermann had gone. For once, the grandees of Bavaria were united: President Uli Hoeneß called it a "very good decision" to get Flick, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called Flick at that time as "important new signing" and "great help for Niko".
Klose is to become Flick's second assistant
However, Flick has hardly any experience as a head coach - only at TSG Hoffenheim, where he did not get past the third league and had to leave again in 2005. Once he represented Löw at the European Championship 2008: In the quarter-final against Portugal Loew was suspended, Flick led the German team to a 3-2. Although it is said that Flick mostly feels comfortable in the role of shadow man in the background, but the DFB they had at the time quite the impression that Flick would eventually work as a head coach.
Flick has now gained a lot of experience at Bayern: Hermann Gerland, with FC Bayern since 2001, assistant coach of Jupp Heynckes, Louis van Gaal, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti and most recently Head of the Academy, will be one of the two take over vacant co-trainer positions. Apart from Niko Kovac, his brother Robert had to leave as well (and Flick moved up). The second assistant is to be, according to information of MIRROR Miroslav Klose.
The 137-times national striker and world record scorer is currently working as a U17 coach at Bayern and does not yet have the football teacher license. A promotion to the U19 had Klose rejected in the summer, because he was not ready for it after a year at the U17. Now the 41-year-old could get a new job. Perspectively, Klose is certainly a man for the first row.
Between 1985 and 1990 players at Bayern
For Flick, a new chapter in his career begins - a transition from one to the other role. This has not always worked so well in the past: After the 2014 World Cup, Flick became sports director at the DFB. In January 2017, he left the association at his own request, probably because he felt that he could not implement his ideas in the speed he wished. In July 2017, the native of Heidelberg became managing director of TSG Hoffenheim. But after eight months there was an end. Then it was quiet around Flick until the Bavarians committed him.
"When the request came, I did not have to think twice," said Flick at the end of June about his commitment, "Bayern Munich is a club I care about, a top address." For Flick this was a return, because the midfielder kicked between 1985 and 1990 for the Munich, brought by the then manager Uli Hoeneß. Here he was four times German champion. Under Heynckes he played in May 1990 his last game for Bayern: against Borussia Dortmund. The Bayern won 3: 0.
