The Bayern leadership is under criticism.
© EPA/RONALD WITTEK
The former sports director of Munich protects the heavily criticized Kahn. And also praises Salihamidzic.
Bayern Munich’s former sports director Matthias Sammer has defended the criticized club boss Oliver Kahn. “For me, Oli is the epitome of ‘mia san mia’. It may not always be obvious, but I hear it in all his arguments when it comes to football. It moves me a lot,” said the former German national player Bayern CEO in an interview with the Munich Merkur/tz media group.
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From Sammer’s point of view, the German record champions should continue to stick to Kahn. “I’m a little appalled by what’s happening right now. Maybe he’s not doing everything right, but I’m afraid that one day we won’t have a footballer in the top positions in football. And that’s not good,” said the 55- year olds. Kahn has a “fine instinct, maybe a bit crazy, just like me”.
Praise for Salihamidzic
Sammer also found words of praise for Munich’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. “Hasan is a great manager. He was a leg-eater on the field, he fought, was an incredible team player. And I think you’ll keep that in your life. But I don’t experience him enough to say more.”
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Sammer expected it to be difficult for Kahn and Salihamidzic at the beginning. “Because a generation change rarely works smoothly,” said the native of Dresden, who currently works as a consultant at Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund go into the final day of the German Bundesliga with a two-point lead over Bayern.
The Munich team, spoiled by success, is threatened with a season without a title. Sammer noted that “without Manuel Neuer, with World Cup-stricken Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka and a slightly weakened Thomas Müller, the axis is a bit unstable at the moment”. As a result, the game is so unstable this year, said Sammer.
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