Thomas Tuchel will be leaving Bayern Munich after the season, the club confirmed on Wednesday. The 3-2 defeat to Bochum in Sunday’s Bundesliga match was the catalyst for the decision.
The decision to fire the 50-year-old came after three consecutive losses in all competitions; Bayern are now eight points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
The coach has come to realize that he cannot entirely hold himself accountable for the team’s dismal performance this year. He is holding out hope that the news of his leaving will invigorate both himself and his team.
“I never felt that we as coaching staff stopped reaching the team. But we have a discrepancy from training to matches and the coach is responsible. I don’t think I am the only problem, but I accept my responsibility.
“I am not satisfied with the way we play and have been unhappy for quite some time. Now we have a new situation, but the situation has been solved and communicated, but I don’t think I am the only problem,” he told the media.
The seasoned manager will depart Germany a year before as a component of “a sporting realignment” inside the club. He feels free to take greater risks now that he knows he’ll be leaving at the season’s conclusion.
“It does not matter if I understand the decision of the club or whether I am happy with it. The only thing that matters now is that there is clarity. Clarity brings freedom and it is good for the matches and the training.
“Freedom for the coach on how to act. You don’t have to think about long-term consequences of your choices. You can be a bit more reckless.”
Even if Bayern wants to retain the German manager for the time being, speculation about who will replace him in the summer has begun to spread. The club has even prepared a five-man shortlist, according to Kicker.
In an ideal world, Xavi Alonso would be the greatest contender for the job, as Munich was the last stop of his playing career. He has had a remarkable impact on the culture of Bayer Leverkusen in his little over 500 days as manager.
He is youthful, speaks German well, and, most significantly, is enjoying a fantastic season. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Leipzig are all but eliminated from the race, thus the odds are in their favor to win the Bundesliga for the first time and the German Cup for the second time.
Then there’s Zinedine Zidane, whose name has been circulating in the media about Bayern for a while. His only significant coaching roles were two brief but fruitful stints with Real Madrid. But his collection of trophies from that era speaks volumes. Not only did he contribute to Real Madrid’s three UEFA Champions League victories, but he also helped them win two La Liga championships.
Unai Emery, who is now the coach at Aston Villa, is named as one of the possible contenders for the position at Bayern, which is rather surprising. Even though his team isn’t used to this kind of success, he’s enjoying a fantastic season. However, he usually gets the hang of lesser clubs. A couple of years back, he led Villareal to a Champions League quarterfinal victory against the Bavarians.
Former Bayern and Germany coach Hansi Flick is the fourth candidate on the list, and the fans would love to have him run the show. Flick led the team to a historic triple in 2020, becoming only the second club in history to do so. They went on to win the local Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup, for a total of six trophies in a single calendar year.
Sebastian Hoeneß, who is now the coach of Stuttgart, is another potential contender for the position at Bayern. Additionally, he is the nephew of Uli Hoeneß, the club’s most significant member in the last several decades and the current honorary president. Last season, he saved Stuttgart from relegation, and this season, he has done the unbelievable: transformed them into a team that may finish in the top four.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
