Is everything really going smoothly at FC Bayern?

Hoeneß' favorite project stuck - "No question"

Created: 09/01/2022, 09:30

By: Patrick Mayer

Honorary President of FC Bayern: Uli Hoeneß (right), here at a media event next to ex-Schalke boss Clemens Tönnies (middle).

© IMAGO/Moritz Mueller

FC Bayern is celebrated for spectacular transfers and breathtaking football.

But the German Bundesliga record champions have a problem child that is particularly important to Uli Hoeneß.

Munich – Uli Hoeneß flailed his arms wildly on May 26, 2019 in the stands of the Grünwalder Stadium.

His head turned red, the then president of FC Bayern hugged those around him out of joy.

The second team of the German Bundesliga record champions had just beat the reserves of VfL Wolfsburg 4-1 in the relegation second leg for promotion to the 3rd division - after a 1-3 in the first leg.

FC Bayern: Second team is worrying about Munich

The long-term project was finally complete, after seven long years in the Bavarian Regionalliga and one season (2011/12) in the South Regionalliga.

“Of course our goal is to get promoted with the second team.

Because the 3rd league increases the chances of playing football closer to the Bundesliga quality from our point of view," Hoeneß had explained before the showdown against the "Wolves" of Munich

: "The starting position is good.

In the third league, the players can be introduced better than in the fourth - no question."

From our point of view, the 3rd division increases the chances of playing football closer to Bundesliga quality.

Uli Hoeneß, Honorary President of FC Bayern

This was followed promptly in the 2019/20 season by the third division championship with players like Joshua Zirkzee, who has now joined Bologna FC from the Italian Serie A.

But: The following year, the “little Bavarians” surprisingly rose to 18th in the table.

off again.

There was a break in the interface between young talent and the professional sector, while this gap seemed insurmountable anyway.

The first player since the Müller-Alaba generation, who temporarily played for the second team and is now asserting himself in the Bundesliga, is Jamal Musiala.

Otherwise nothing followed.

FC Bayern: "Amateurs" become champions of the 3rd division - and then get relegated to the regional division

Last season, FC Bayern II missed out on direct promotion because SpVgg Bayreuth intervened furiously.

This means that the talents from the campus are further away from the "Bundesliga quality football" (original sound Hoeneß) than desired on Säbener Straße in Munich.

The problem is currently worsening, insofar as the second team completely messed up the start of the 2022/23 season up to the 10th matchday.

Specifically: In the past five games there has not been a single win, instead four draws and one defeat.

There were only three wins in total.

Most recently, the team of coach and ex-professional Martin Demichelis conceded six goals against the village clubs TSV Buchbach (4: 4) and FV Illertissen (2: 2).

Not enough for your own needs.

Which has long since had an impact on the professionals.

The Bavarians reported the two super talents Mathys Tel (17 years) and Paul Wanner (16) for the Uefa Youth League, the youth competition of the Champions League.

FC Bayern II: Hasan Salihamidzic's nephew plays for the Munich second team

The youngsters should apparently gain match practice in the U19s and not be exposed to the risk of injury in the Bavarian Regionalliga.

Wanner, who comes from Amtzell in Upper Swabia on Lake Constance, has already played four Bundesliga games - but none in the fourth division.

Instead, South Korean midfielder Hyun-ju Lee (19, three goals) and striker Lucas Copado (18, two goals and four assists) - the nephew of sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic - play regularly for Bayern Amateurs.

In the video: FC Bayern makes far-reaching decision on Paul Wanner and Mathys Tel

Both talents that actually need stronger opponents.

The same will apply to 17-year-old Georgian Luka Parkadze, who joins Munich from Dinamo Tbilisi next summer.

Now that the starting position of the "small Bavarians" is already tricky for the rest of the season, a former player of the Bundesliga giants is also causing "problems": Sandro Wagner.

FC Bayern II: Significantly behind Sandro Wagner and SpVgg Unterhaching

The 34-year-old is in first place as a coach with SpVgg Unterhaching - the Munich suburbs are already nine points ahead of their big neighbors.

What's more: the master has to go through the promotion relegation process again and doesn't get promoted directly.

And so at least the second team is worried about the celebrations about the achievements of the past few weeks.