Report: Bayern Munich eye Thomas Tuchel as next manager

According to a report by Bild, Bayern Munich once again see Thomas Tuchel as a serious candidate for the head coach’s position. The current PSG manager was coveted by the Bavarians back in 2018, but a delay in approaching him meant that he went to Paris and Niko Kovac was hired instead.

According to the report, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (i.e. the most important person in Munich at the moment) is a fan of Tuchel, and he and Hansi Flick are also said to have a good relationship. Flick visited Paris last October around the time of PSG’s clash against Red Star, and the two discussed tactics and coaching philosophies. Since then, they have maintained contacts with each other, and Tuchel and Flick would be willing to work together in case the former is hired by the Bavarians.

Even Sporting Director Hasan Salihamidzic, who is said to prefer Mauricio Pochettino for the role, was in favor of appointing Tuchel in 2018 and even met with him for negotiations. Hiring Pochettino would also present a large challenge for the Bavarians, as the Argentine doesn’t speak German and would bring a large backroom staff with him from his former club Tottenham Hotspur.

Tuchel and Flick both have a strong proponent in Jupp Heynckes. Heynckes said in 2018 that Tuchel had the quality to coach the German Rekordmeister, and his recent comments regarding Hansi Flick have been extremely positive.

Could Tuchel and Hansi form a winning partnership at Bayern? Some may have doubts, especially about Tuchel’s ability to mesh with star players. At PSG, he has had trouble dealing with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, and at Borussia Dortmund he allegedly fell out with the senior players — most notably Mats Hummels, who later moved to Munich (and has since moved back).

In addition, Tuchel’s results at PSG don’t inspire confidence. The Parisians suffered a humiliating exit in the Champions League last season to a mediocre Manchester United team and also suffered defeat in every single domestic cup competition. Considering the overwhelming financial advantage PSG have in France, the lack of trophies stick out as an issue.

In any case, Bild claim that no decision will be taken until the winter break. In the meantime, Hansi Flick still has a chance to convince the Bayern bosses that he is the best man for the job. Games against Gladbach, Tottenham, and Freiburg will be crucial for the current interim, and he may need to win them all to beef up his resume and be selected as permanent coach.