In statements by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, it is usually easy to read between the lines. This is not different in his words of farewell to the outgoing coach: "I would like to thank Niko Kovac on behalf of Bayern for his work, especially for winning the doubles in the past season," said the CEO of FC Bayern on Sunday evening cited. In other words, really nothing else than the double.
Conversely, this means: Kovac had to or wanted to leave because he was unlikely to win titles anymore. And it also means: The successor should be above all a title guarantor. What else should it be about FC Bayern?
Rummenigges first choice would be Tuchel
What will be the beginning of November 2019, who will be the next coach at Bayern Munich? Can Karl-Heinz Rummenigge now start in terms of sole rule? Or does Uli Hoeneß, who left in less than two weeks, intervene again? Hoeneß has already installed his own successor in Herbert Hainer. But how important is the President to signal once more in the Olympic Hall before his big farewell on 15 November? Or even better: exactly this evening to conjure a successor from the hat, one who pacifies the currently quite angry fans?
The power games between Rummenigge and Hoeness were for a long time crucial for the alignment of the club. Now the rules of the game are changing. And so there are different scenarios that will emerge in the coming days.
Detached from all the questions of who is actually on the market, detached from the question of how much the obligation costs, and above all detached from Uli Hoeneß: Who would call Karl-Heinz Rummenigge first? It would probably be Thomas Tuchel. First, it was Hoeneß, who had opposed this purchase in 2018, and Hoeness is soon gone. Second, Tuchel is at Paris Saint-Germain repeatedly criticized, allegedly also with the players. He could be open to new offers - even if they are financially less profitable. Tuchel would be from Rummenigges view the best title guarantor.
Who would call Hoeneß? Hardly Jupp Heynckes, even if this scenario in the social media is just booming. The only question is who else comes to mind. The last time was Niko Kovac. It would definitely have to be someone who radiates the club maxim "mia san mia". One who ensures that FC Bayern not run out of identification figures, now that the biggest identification figure is about to say goodbye. It would have to be someone like Mark van Bommel, if need be, even the former U23 player Ralph Hasenhüttl, who is currently under contract with Southampton FC.
Erik ten Hag von Ajax would be a common solution
From the own performance center, which Hoeneß is proud of, no one offers itself at present, due to lack of experience. His nephew Sebastian Hoeneß, for example, has just taken over his first men's team with the U23. The 137-fold international Miroslav Klose trains the U17, but has only the A-license. A promotion to U19 rejected Klose in the summer, because he did not see himself ready for it.
It is of course also possible that the two together again and find a common solution. Then the choice could fall on Erik ten Hag. Rummenigge likes him because he has played internationally recognized beautiful football and has made it to the semifinals of the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam, a blatant outsider. Hoeneß likes him because he somehow belongs to the Bavarian family. From 2013 to 2015, the 49-year-old coached the U23. According to "Sky", the Bavarians are said to have already made contact with Hag, but this would only be possible after the current season.
The said power games, which also ended up in trivia, meanwhile lead to the question: does the club still get the coach it wants? Just as Rummenigge has dealt with Kovac, every candidate will consider carefully whether he wants to move to Munich. If Kovac is accused of overburdening the team and at the same time doing too little self-criticism, then the same applies to Rummenigge. He had even demanded the young coach even the Champions League title and at the same time the change. He has hardly supported him in this ambitious undertaking.
Interim coach Flick could stay longer
Also possible: Sports Director Hasan Salihamidzic does a coach, the two like, this is immediately committed. That may be considered unlikely.
Much more likely: Interim coach Hansi Flick remains coach. For this he would have to "just" create an emotional turnaround in the coming days and possibly win against Olympiacos Piraeus on Wednesday (18.55 clock / Liveticker SPIEGEL, TV: Sky) and especially against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday night.
Should he lead the Bavarians back to the top of the Bundesliga table until the winter break, then Bayern could conceal the fact that they do not actually have the leisure time to make a decision with vision, a decision based solely on sporting criteria. Because the biggest problem for the club is not that there are so few possible coaches. But there are very few coaches who do not need to turn the entire game system upside down in no time.
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