Manuel Neuer and Toni Tapalovic (left) are close friends. Now the goalkeeping coach has to leave FC Bayern
Those: pa/sampics/Stefan Matzke
Bayern surprisingly parted ways with their goalkeeper coach Toni Tapalovic. The 42-year-old has to leave immediately. The reasons for the separation are complex. Tapalovic is considered a close confidant of Manuel Neuer.
BAt FC Bayern Munich there is no rest in the goalkeeper position. After long negotiations, the Munich team found a replacement for the injured Manuel Neuer in Yann Sommer. The keeper came from Mönchengladbach to replace the national goalkeeper, who broke his tibia and fibula while skiing, in the second half of the season. Three days after Sommer’s first appearance for Bayern (1-1 in Leipzig), the Munich team parted ways with their long-time goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic. “In particular, differences about the way we work together have now led to us going our separate ways,” said sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. The club did not provide any information about a successor.
First “Bild” reported on the personnel. Accordingly, the 42-year-old must leave the club immediately. Tapalovic should no longer be on the bench for the game against Cologne on Tuesday.
Most recently, Tapalovic caused a lot of discussion because Bayern goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, who was loaned to AS Monaco, complained about the goalkeeping coach’s lack of communication. According to “Bild”, irreconcilable differences with coach Nagelsmann should be the main reason for the termination.
Tapalovic is said to have found it difficult to follow Nagelsmann’s instructions. Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic is said to have tried to mediate between Nagelsmann and Tapalovic for months. Obviously in vain.
Tapalovic (left) with Bayern’s new goalkeeper Yann Sommer
Source: AP/Matthias Schrader
“In general, it is important to have an intact relationship with everyone in your coaching team. A professional cooperation is always in the interests of the matter at hand. You can always improve in all areas in such a large coaching team. It is important that everyone contributes and it is also important that everyone knows their responsibilities. In order to then be able to be as happy as possible in the event of success and to be as angry as possible in the event of failure, ”said Nagelsmann on Monday afternoon. That is a very important point: “And just like players can improve things, a coach and a goalkeeping coach can improve things so that it works better and everyone goes in the same direction.”
Tapalovic and Neuer are close friends
Tapalovic had been promoted to assistant coach under Nagelsmann’s predecessor Hansi Flick, but then resumed his old role as goalkeeping coach under the new head coach. Another internal point of criticism is said to have been that Tapalovic saw his task primarily in looking after Neuer and Sven Ulreich, but should not have taken care of the youth goalkeepers.
Tapalovic and Neuer have more in common than an employment relationship. They are friends and have even vacationed together in Croatia. When Neuer moved from FC Schalke to Bayern Munich in 2011, goalkeeping coach Tapalovic also moved from Gelsenkirchen to Munich.
