Bayern Munich enjoying much more harmony at board level
The last two seasons for Bayern Munich were successful as the club won every possible trophy available to them. The Bavarian club became the second European club to win a sextuple after Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. Hansi Flick also guided the club to the second treble in seven years.
Despite a plethora of trophies, things were not smooth sailing at Die Roten during Hansi Flick’s 18-month tenure. The German coach endured a strained relationship with the club’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic over transfers. During Flick’s second season in Bavaria, German media constantly reported about how things were strained behind the scenes at the club.
Flick was well justified to be miffed about transfers after winning the treble in 2019/20. The German champions did sign Leroy Sane, but the rest of the business in the summer of 2020 was completed in the last week of the window. Moreover, all the last-minute transfers turned out to be poor for Rekordmeister.
After the departure of Flick, things have changed for good at the board level. According to Bild (via iMiaSanMia), there is much more harmony amongst the sporting structure at Die Roten. This report also confirms that Salihamidzic enjoys a very good working relationship with Julian Nagelsmann as they work towards bringing more success to the club.
Contrary to last season dominated by the tension between Hasan Salihamidžić and Hansi Flick, there's pure harmony in the management level this season. Brazzo gets along very well with Nagelsmann. The focus is only on sporting success [Bild] pic.twitter.com/7eSLYr8wG1
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) November 8, 2021
Die Roten didn’t have an extravagant first summer window under Nagelsmann, but the club did address key positions. Dayot Upamecano has turned out to be a good signing until now, while Marcel Sabitzer and Omar Richards are adapting to the environment in Bavaria. Sven Ulreich seamlessly integrated into the first team as he returned to the club after one year at Hamburg.
The German coach is likely to demand more signings in 2022 as few first-team players will be leaving. The next summer transfer window will be a major test for Salihamidzic as he looks to find a replacement for key senior players such as Corentin Tolisso, Niklas Sule, and Kingsley Coman.
Next. Bayern Munich hit by COVID-19 during international break. dark
Apart from the summer window in 2020, Salihamidzic has done a fine job on transfers. He has successfully overseen the squad rebuild after the departures of experienced players such as Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, and Mats Hummels. His good work was rewarded with a promotion to the club’s board.
The pandemic has caused stress on the club’s finances, so Salihamidzic’s hands have been tied in terms of spending big on transfers. Since fans are back in the stadium for games this season, Rekordmeister should witness a boost in revenue and eventually give more room for transfers. Salihamidzic will be hoping to maintain a strong relationship with Nagelsmann since the German coach is part of the club’s long-term project.