As of: March 9, 2024, 2:56 p.m
By: Philipp Kuserau
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Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel has been in the crossfire of criticism for weeks.
But now he is receiving unexpectedly strong support from an ex-Munich player.
Munich – Poor performances from his team, crisis in results, massive criticism and a broken toe: the last few weeks must not have been easy for Thomas Tuchel.
And next summer, the FC Bayern chapter will be over for the 50-year-old - after just 15 months in office.
Tuchel and Bayern: a failed short-term relationship.
Unexpectedly, however, a former Champions League winner from Munich has now jumped to the FCB coach's side.
Hargreaves defends Tuchel: “Sometimes things turn out differently in life”
“Everyone, including Thomas and I, probably thought it would be a perfect fit.
But sometimes things turn out differently in life,” says Owen Hargreaves about Tuchel in a Eurosport interview.
“But the truth is that even at the beginning of the season things in the transfer market didn’t go as planned for him.
There were also changes in management.
Thomas has never failed.
I wouldn’t say he failed at Bayern either.”
The somewhat astonishing statements from the ex-Bayern star should be balm for Tuchel's soul.
Because in the worst scenario, the ex-BVB coach will have to pack his bags with just one title at the end of the season: the championship from last season.
And even this title probably has a bad aftertaste for Tuchel, after all, he only replaced Julian Nagelsmann around two months before the end of the season.
Hargreaves: Tuchel will “take over a big club again”
In the premier class, however, the Krumbach native and his Bayern are still on track.
Thanks to the convincing 3-0 win against Lazio Rome in the second leg of the round of 16, the minimum target of 'quarter-finals' has been achieved.
“Progressing against Lazio was incredibly important.
“Thomas is a great coach who will take over a big club again,” says Hargreaves, who won the premier class with Bayern in 2001.
Owen Hargreaves doesn't believe Thomas Tuchel has failed at Bayern.
© IMAGO / Pro Sports Images / Ulrich Wagner
It is still unclear whether Tuchel is immediately open to a commitment to another top club after his time in Munich or whether he will initially take a sabbatical.
However, a coaching job in Germany seems out of the question.
Hargreaves hopes “Harry Kane finally wins a trophy”
Given that they are ten points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, Hargreaves no longer believes in Bayern's championship miracle.
A convincing win on Saturday against Mainz (3:30 p.m., all TV information can be found here) wouldn't change that.
“Bayern have now been champions eleven times in a row.
It’s time for another club to become champions.”
The only realistic trophy that Tuchel can still win with Bayern is the trophy in the premier class.
Next Friday (March 15th) the Champions League draw will show which hurdle Bayern have to overcome in the quarter-finals to keep their title dream alive.
Hargreaves would begrudge Tuchel, but also thinks of his English compatriot Harry Kane: “They're not necessarily the top favorite, but they can win the thing.
I would begrudge them, it would be wonderful if Thomas said goodbye like that after everything that happened.
I also want Harry Kane to finally win a trophy.”
(kus)