Why did Bayern Munich decide to keep Thomas Tuchel until the end of the season?Why did Bayern Munich decide to keep Thomas Tuchel until the end of the season?

Bayern Munich made a big error by sticking with a coach who has obviously lost the support of the players.

After his team experienced an unexpected collapse in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico three weeks ago, Thomas Tuchel was stunned. He argued that it wasn’t Lazio who had won the game, but rather Bayern Munich who had lost it.

This sentiment has become a common theme in Tuchel’s post-match discussions. Following Friday’s 2-2 draw with Freiburg, which essentially ended Bayern’s chances of winning the Bundesliga title, Tuchel once again pointed to his team’s self-inflicted wounds.

“We started playing as if it was already the 85th minute and we were losing 1-0,” he told DAZN, clearly bewildered by the match. “I don’t think it was a lack of effort. We just played without any thought for the first half-hour and paid the price for it.

“We initiated attacks too early, lost possession in attacking moves, and left ourselves vulnerable to counter-attacks. Our play lacked structure, discipline, and positional awareness. It was like committing self-destructive acts.”

His use of the term “harakiri,” referring to ritualistic Japanese suicide, understandably drew strong reactions from both the German media and the club itself. Such intense language only added to the growing tension at the Allianz Arena ahead of the Champions League second-leg match against Lazio on Tuesday night.

However, Tuchel’s reference to “harakiri” wasn’t entirely unfounded, as Bayern’s own mistakes have significantly hindered their chances of success this season.

  • Goretzka Müller

    On Wednesday, February 21, Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen made a surprising announcement: the club would part ways with Tuchel at the end of the season. This decision seemed quite bizarre, especially considering the team’s recent string of poor results. The tension between the coaching staff and players was evident, highlighted by the argument between Zsolt Low and Joshua Kimmich after the embarrassing defeat against Bochum on February 18.

    By that point, it was clear that Tuchel didn’t have the solutions to Bayern’s problems. During the shocking loss to Lazio on February 14, he was seen frantically gesturing from the sidelines, trying to inject urgency and pace into his team’s play. Despite his efforts, Bayern couldn’t recover the momentum they had lost in the second half of a game they had been dominating.

    “I can’t explain it,” Tuchel admitted afterward. “We instructed the team to maintain their intensity and show even more courage in attacking, but we seemed to falter at the beginning of the half.”

    Tuchel appeared bewildered, and on the same night, midfielder Leon Goretzka likened the situation to an endless “horror movie.” So, why did Bayern choose to prolong the agony by keeping Tuchel in charge?

    Split in the team’s locker room.

    Their top choice for the next coach, Xabi Alonso, won’t be available until after the season ends. This is also the case for other potential candidates. Bayern wasn’t fully convinced by some of the interim options either, especially in the case of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    The notion that announcing Tuchel’s departure might motivate the team was at best overly optimistic and at worst incredibly foolish. Unlike Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool or even Xavi at Barcelona, Tuchel doesn’t hold the same revered status at Bayern. There isn’t a collective determination to ensure he gets a triumphant farewell.

    The fact that Dreesen had to explicitly urge the players to give their utmost for the remainder of Tuchel’s tenure reveals the extent of the divide within the team.

    • The players need to respect you.

      So, what exactly did Bayern expect to achieve? Did they truly believe that news of Tuchel’s upcoming departure would unite the team or spark an emotional surge that would lead them to Champions League victory?

      That scenario was highly unlikely. As former Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes remarked, “A coach must have the respect of the players, otherwise achieving success is impossible. The coach-player relationship remains the same, regardless of contractual arrangements.”

      Interestingly, there are now reports suggesting that Tuchel could be immediately sacked if Bayern fail to overturn their 1-0 deficit against Lazio. This raises the question: if there was such little confidence in the manager at both the boardroom and dressing-room levels, and his future hinged on European success, why persist with a situation that clearly wasn’t working?

      Furthermore, Bayern’s chances of winning the Champions League seem slim. Even if they advance past Lazio, a struggling side in Serie A, they would face tough opposition in the quarter-finals. Confirming Tuchel’s departure has not addressed the underlying issues within the team.

    • Harry Kane Bayern vs Freiburg 2023-24

      “We did things we hadn’t even discussed before.”

      Bayern did secure a victory in their first match following the announcement – but only due to a last-minute goal from Harry Kane against RB Leipzig. However, on Friday, they were held to a 2-2 draw by Freiburg, leaving them trailing Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen by 10 points with 10 rounds remaining.

      Could the ‘Neverkusen’ curse strike again? It’s highly improbable, but not entirely impossible. The real question is whether Bayern would capitalize on any potential collapse from Leverkusen. The answer is a resounding no. The team lacks the ability to play with conviction, coherence, or consistency for the full 90 minutes at the moment.

      While they finished strongly against Freiburg, the first half was disastrous, leading Tuchel to imply that his players sabotaged themselves by disregarding his pre-match instructions. “We had defensive training and analyzed videos yesterday. Instructions were clear,” he explained to DAZN. “But we executed actions we hadn’t practiced or discussed before.”

      His reference to “harakiri” was not well-received by the club’s management. Yet again, one must wonder: what exactly did they anticipate?

      • ‘Not my problem anymore!’

        Tuchel has often been seen as a somewhat contradictory figure, which is why he hasn’t stayed at top clubs for more than two years. Therefore, the use of such vivid and emotional language was expected in this situation.

        He had essentially hinted at this outcome after the narrow victory over Leipzig. When asked about the timing of the news regarding his departure, Tuchel told ESPN that he viewed it positively: “Now we have clarity. It also gives me a bit of freedom. Because, with every decision, if a player gets upset, I won’t worry as much because in the summer, in some ways, it’s not my problem anymore!”

        He’s correct in that regard; it’s no longer his problem. It’s now Bayern’s problem. And they are largely responsible for exacerbating an already difficult situation.

      • Thomas Tuchel Bayern 24022024

        Is Bayern’s season ending slowly and painfully?

        The previous administration may have been to blame for the poorly handled dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann a year ago (a decision that now seems extremely premature). However, the current leadership at Bayern appears just as confused and lacking in conviction as the players themselves.

        Player recruitment has been subpar, with several transfers mishandled. The ongoing turmoil surrounding Tuchel has been allowed to persist for too long, and there are now reports that Jamal Musiala is considering leaving. Who could blame such a talented young player for thinking he might find a more stable environment at clubs like Manchester City or Liverpool? Bayern has been enveloped in uncertainty for over a year.

        Dreesen and the others in charge evidently believed that due to the absence of top-tier alternatives, retaining the current manager was the best way to salvage the current season. However, the issue is that some players clearly wish Tuchel’s tenure were already over.

        It’s possible that it could come to an abrupt end at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. However, in a rather ironic twist for a team, club, and coach seemingly intent on self-destruction, a slow, painful, and undignified decline actually seems more likely—and perhaps even more appropriate—for Bayern’s hopes of avoiding their first trophy-less season since 2012.

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