Hectic at the always calculated Bayern Munich. Thomas Tuchel replaced the dismissed Julian Nagelsmann and received exactly one training session to prepare his selection for the most important game of the season: the Classic against leader Dortmund. The story of the remarkable choice of the German record champion.
No Gegenpressingbut panic football at Bayern Munich last week.
Julian Nagelsmann was evicted after a failure against mid-engine Leverkusen. “Bayern-unworthy, a rarely seen lack of drive and mentality”, a furious technical director grumbled afterwards.
The straw that broke the camel’s back. That in a season where the results in the league and Champions League are not even that bad.
“That is why it is a very surprising decision,” says Bundesliga commentator Luc van Doorslaer. “But Bayern is not 10 points ahead of Dortmund for once. They are not used to that in Munich.”
Nagelsmann himself? He was surprised that he first had to hear the news through the German media.
Need a kick in the butt
One thing is certain: Nagelsmann lost part of the dressing room. Kimmich’s favoritism was a thorn in the side of fellow star players Sane and Mane.
The latter collided with his coach after the return against PSG, where he was only allowed to appear for 8 minutes. A situation that the 35-year-old trainer did not know what to do with, according to Bild.
“Although such stories are always being exaggerated,” says Van Doorslaer. “The management was particularly upset that Bayern had the same bug as PSG: not being able to recharge for smaller games.”
The signal for the board to bring the hard hand of top trainer Thomas Tuchel on board. That just before the clash of the season against leader Dortmund, which counts 1 point more.
Tuchel can be a very expensive gamble, Nagelsmann’s transition cost 25 million euros.
The main reason to take the gamble now: Tuchel would not be available much longer. “And they simply rate him higher as a trainer.”
The German choice lord, who lives in Munich by the way, was in the interest of Tottenham. Bayern already missed his services in 2018, when he elected PSG, and learned from that mistake.
“But it can be an expensive gamble,” says the commentator. Because Nagelsmann came over from RB Leipzig 2 summers ago for about 25 million euros.
It’s up to Tuchel to create a shock wave, as he did at Chelsea in the early days. First assignment: to make the dressing room to his liking.
A symbolic kick on the ass from Leroy Sané during training is already well received in the camp of the record champion.
Ayurveda as a secret force
Just because of Tuchel’s experience at Chelsea, PSG and Dortmund, Van Doorslaer believes in a good outcome to the sudden change of guard.
“Where the predecessor lacked experience to bring stability to the group, the successor has that in abundance,” he says. “Tuchel will not easily fall into the trap of giving certain players preferential treatment.”
A psychological test unfolds at Bayern Munich. One where a healing art of thousands of years old will help. The German T1 went to India after his debacle at Chelsea to rediscover himself via Ayurveda.
“His psychological range to deal with top players seems like an extra asset to me.” Although Tuchel is also known as a difficult person in addition to being a great trainer.
“He will have to find a combination between a hard hand and good people management to keep a dressing room full of stars happy.”
It’s up to the replacement to steer a clear course, looking for a way out of choppy waters.
