Gareth Bale snubs Bayern Munich - except not really!

As we know, an ongoing transfer saga this summer concerns the fate of Gareth Bale. The Welsh Galactico has been on on the radar of a number of clubs as it is rumored that he wants to make a transition out of Madrid. One of the possible destinations is Bayern Munich — as unlikely as that may sound.

Christian Falk of SportBild — considered one of the most reliable sources for Bayern Munich transfer news — has put an end to some of the speculation while simultaneously aiming a jibe at dishonest football journalism. If you were hoping to see Bale in an FC Bayern jersey any time soon, prepare to be disappointed. Here’s his tweet:

“No talks between the club and the player.” The tweet is a reply to this so-called article, which was obviously a bunch of nonsense. A made-up rumor about Bayern Munich is nothing new, and it’s not what this article is really about.

Opinion: The English media perception of FC Bayern

If you read English tabloids, then I feel sorry for you. If you’re a Bayern fan that does it, I’d ask what the hell is wrong with you. Reading most reports, you’d get the impression that Bayern are the smallest fish in a European-sized pond. There was a scene in Westworld Season 1, Episode 1, where the Man in Black tells Teddy:

Winning doesn’t mean anything unless someone else loses. Which means ... you’re here to be the loser.

That seems to be a good description of what the English media thinks Bayern Munich should be in the transfer window — perennial losers. Our only job is to be linked to top transfer targets so that we may “miss out” our #1 target, or some talented starlet “prefers Manchester/London/Liverpool over the Bavarian capital.” It’s almost as if the Bundesliga is a pub league and Bayern Munich haven’t decisively outperformed English clubs in the Champions League for the last five years.

Sometimes, I’m forced to wonder what we need to do to get some respect around here. Real Madrid and Barcelona get respect, regardless of how much they deserve it. When you hear a transfer rumor with them in it, it’s always framed like this: “oh no Real/Barca want x, now you fav club won’t get him.” See the difference?

Well, whatever it is, I hope it happens soon, because I’m sick and tired of Bayern’s designated role as the loser. It’s damaging to our brand and puts off potential fans, and no matter how many times journalists like Falk and Honigstein set the record straight, almost no one is listening. We at Bavarian Football Works will always try to make sure people know how unreliable these outlets are (one particularly humorous example here, where JND rips the Bale rumor apart), but it’s like fighting a losing battle.

If any change is coming over the horizon, please let it happen soon. The status quo is getting old.