Joachim Löw backs Hansi Flick to succeed as Bayern Munich manager

Hansi’s at the wheel — it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Since Niko Kovac’s departure from Bayern Munich, Hansi Flick has led the tema to two wins out of two with two clean sheets and while allowing zero shots on target against both Olympiacos and Borussia Dortmund. A bevvy of names have been floated around as a potential long-term replacement for Kovac, but Germany manager Joachim Löw feels that Flick, who was his assistant manager during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, is the right man for the long term job at Bayern.

With his vast experience working with Germany’s players, Löw said that Flick is the perfect fit for the Bayern job (Eurosport Deutschland):

Hansi can do it. He has so much experience in different areas, great competence and also empathy. Those are the best qualifications.

Last week Löw even made a phone call to Flick after it was announced that he would fill in as interim manager while Bayern decided on a long-term plan. Löw described Flick as “very relaxed and balanced” during their telephone conversation.

Lastly, the German National Team manager went on to say that he’s not surprised at all by Flick’s successful start to his tenure as Bayern manager:

Hansi has a clear idea of what he wants to bring to the team. It thus was clear to me that he would have a good start.

Photo by Thomas Eisenhuth/picture alliance via Getty Images

BFW Analysis

It’s interesting that Löw mentions Flick’s empathy for players, and presumably the German squad back when he was assistant manager for Die Mannschaft. Uli Hoeness has said that there were “currents” on Bayern’s team that wanted Kovac out, and a handful of players have performed significantly better since Flick has taken over as interim manager, especially Javi Martinez, Alphonso Davies, David Alaba, and Leon Goretzka.

While it has only been two matches thus far, it’s telling to see just how well the majority of the players in the squad have responded to Flick. Even Philippe Coutinho and Thiago Alcantara were reportedly jubilant in the first couple of training sessions with Flick at the helm, despite the fact that neither of them have played much during his first two matches in charge.

Photo by M. Donato/FC Bayern via Getty Images

Bayern’s front office may have had its fair share of squabbles with Löw, but his backing of Flick certainly won’t fall on deaf ears, considering how well the German national team performed when Flick was Löw’s assistant.