Niko Kovac reportedly finds himself under pressure at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich is reportedly looking at Ralf Rangnick as a potential replacement of Niko Kovac if results and performances don’t improve.
There is always a lot of pressure on a manager at a big club like Bayern Munich. Niko Kovac made a steady start to this season, but Die Roten’s results and performances in the last few games have been underwhelming.
The latest win over Olympiakos was also not convincing. Die Roten have been good going forward, but the defensive structure still looks chaotic. They continue to concede cheap goals. These inconsistent performances have paved the way for speculation surrounding his future at the club.
According to SportBild, Bayern Munich is considering Ralf Rangnick as the replacement for Kovac if the team continues to deliver poor performances. This report insists that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has been a big advocate of Ragnick, and wanted him to replace Kovac in summer. However, Kovac had support from Uli Hoeness, and the Croatian survived after clinching the domestic double.
After Hoeness’ departure next month, the club will rely on Rummenigge for major decisions. If there is no upturn in performances, then Kovac may be sacked, paving way for Rangnick to succeed him. Christian Falk also confirmed that Manchester United is also interested in Rangnick if they sack Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.
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Rangnick is currently head of sport and development at Red Bull. He has previously worked as Sporting Director and coach for RB Leipzig. Rangnick enjoyed success with RB Leipzig during his two managerial spells at Leipzig. He helped the club win the promotion to the Bundesliga and reach DFB Pokal finals last season.
There is no doubt that Rangnick is a terrific manager and has a great eye for talent. However, Bayern needs to show patience with Kovac. The Croatian endured intense criticism last season but still managed to win the domestic trophies. Moreover, judging him on the current performances will be harsh as he has lost key players to injuries.
Kovac had a settled lineup at the start of the season, and moving Joshua Kimmich in midfield helped in finding the right balance. He had to move back Kimmich back in defense due to injury to Niklas Sule. After the injury to Lucas Hernandez yesterday, it is unlikely that the German international will return to midfield anytime soon.
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Bayern chiefs need to dismiss this speculation if there is no substance in it. They remained quiet last season, which affected the team’s performances. Constant speculation surrounding the future of manager has a negative impact on the dressing room. After a trophy-laden first season, Kovac deserves patience and time to get things right at Bayern.