The FC Bayern CEO, who has come under criticism, talks about the final phase of the season and becomes clear – also about himself.
Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn has issued a clear warning to his own team before the crucial games of the Bundesliga season. “It’s a special German championship that we’re experiencing here, that wasn’t the case in recent years. Of course, that’s also a very special challenge for the team,” said Kahn before the game at Werder Bremen in an interview on Sky. And then it became clear: “Only with footballing quality will not be enough in the last few games. We assume that we have to win every game.”
After dropping out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and in the DFB Cup, the German record champions “only” have the championship title in Germany left. When asked about the effect of Julian Nagelsmann’s change of coach to Thomas Tuchel, Kahn emphasized: “Of course we would have liked to progress against Manchester City. But it’s no shame to be eliminated against a team like that.” They would also have liked to have progressed in the DFB Cup, “but it just didn’t happen.” The 53-year-old defended Munich’s new coach: “But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have total trust in Thomas Tuchel. We’ll attack again next season.”
“I’m not one to throw down”
He can handle criticism of himself well: It is “the love for this Bayern Munich club” that drives him. “I played here for 14 years, I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy job, but I accepted this task. I’m the last one to throw down when the wind blows in my face. I can feel it in the stands too. Everybody When things get tight, I walk around the stadium while I was quiet for the first few years.”
He knows exactly how to deal with criticism: “I’ve developed a kind of filter system. We can all decide: what are we going to let in? I can only concentrate on what’s going on, and that’s the job.”
“Of course things are questioned”
He is looking forward to the upcoming supervisory board meeting calmly: “Assume that we will meet again and again,” says Kahn. “I have to honestly say that I’m not particularly busy with our supervisory board meeting. Of course we’ll calmly work through the season and look at everything analytically.” Bayern’s long-time goalkeeper also admitted: “I’ve certainly experienced a lot in my career, but this second half of the season, everything that happened there, that was a lot that we had to deal with. And yet we’re still playing for the championship. “
But Kahn also announced a need to speak: “Of course things are questioned, how did we behave. Especially with the change of coach and this annoying situation that details came out sooner. That needs to be discussed.”
