Report: Bayern executives differ on James Rodriguez; senior player compares Kovac to Ancelotti

Yesterday we covered the alleged internal conflict between Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and team president Uli Hoeness that could have an effect on some future initiatives for the club, including the tenure of coach Niko Kovac.

While it is normal for high-powered executives to have differing opinions on important topics, any disagreement between the two does not seem to have caused any major internal strife or distraction.

ESPN FC detailed the story with their own report, but any conflict between Rummenigge and Hoeness regarding the future of Kovac took a back seat to some other hot button issues identified by the story.

Hoeness and Rummenigge cannot come to an agreement on the future of James

The term for Real Madrid’s loan of James Rodriguez to Bayern will expire at the end of June and the executives do not appear to be aligned on how to proceed.

Rummenigge is a much colder, far more analytical type. He’s less inclined to be patient with former or current Bayern heroes who don’t perform to his exacting standards as players or managers. According to a source in Spain, Rummenigge would like to see James Rodriguez stay in Munich -- he appreciates the Colombian’s technique and elegance -- while Hoeness is said to be unconvinced that the attacking midfielder’s quality outweighs his reluctance to be a team player.

Time is of the essence with James as both the club and player have some important decisions to make in the coming weeks. If there truly is a power struggle on this topic, it may behoove the executives to consult the player, who has wavered on anything closely resembling to a firm commitment regarding his future plans.

Senior player compares Kovac to Carlo

Aside of the James situation, there was an incendiary quote from an anonymous “senior player” that lambasted Kovac’s game preparation:

Results in the league and the German Cup will provide the ammunition for and against the coach in this personal and philosophical battle but worryingly for Kovac, there’s a chance that even winning might not be enough as the discontent with his work is not just restricted to board level. From within the dressing room, complaints from players about a lack of ideas and tactical sophistication continue to fester. One senior player told ESPN that Kovac’s match preparation was “like Ancelotti’s.” It was not meant as a compliment.

Carlo Ancelotti, of course, had a tumultuous stint with Bayern that was marred by leaked reports of poor training habits, faulty preparation for games, and an overall lack of organization.

The importance of a strong finish to quiet the noise

Even after the dismantling of Borussia Dortmund last weekend, a strong finish for Kovac will apparently be vital to his future. As the team executives allegedly butt heads over whether to keep Kovac at the helm and make their own arguments on key transfer-related decisions, only a successful run to end the season will likely quiet some of these topics and provide clarity on how the club will move forward to the 2019/2020 season.