Michael Ballack: Jose Mourinho would help Bayern’s chances of attracting stars

Former Bayern Munich star Michael Ballack spoke to SportBild regarding the current situation in the club he was a part of for four years between 2002 and 2006. While recognizing that current coach Niko Kovac is doing a good job and that he should be respected, Ballack argues that the arrival of Jose Mourinho would mean the arrival of more established superstars.

Arguing that the international attention would be higher under Mourinho, just like it was with Guardiola, Ballack states:

With a trainer like Mourinho, it would be easier to attract world-class players. The Bundesliga at the moment does not have the same appeal to world-class players as the Premier League, for example. But Bayern needs world-class players in order to compete on the highest European level.

Ballack also comments on the recent actions of national team coach Jogi Löw and his decision to drop Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, and Thomas Müller from the national team. Ballack, unsurprisingly, criticizes this decision, saying that Löw’s treatment of the three World Cup winners does not do justice to their accomplishments. Ballack, who had a previous dispute with Jogi during the aftermath of the 2010 World Cup, stressed that his opinion on this issue is not affected by his previous differences with Jogi:

That does not play into my judgment of Jogi or the national team. Despite all that has happened, please believe me when I say that my opinion is factual, constructive and non-emotional… and when I say the following it is based on that.

BFW Analysis

So, what can we take from these comments? It is hard to argue against what Ballack is saying. A coach like Mourinho or Guardiola would have an easier time attracting international superstars to any team because of their influential name. The question is whether this is something Bayern needs right now. In a period where the Bayern squad needs renewal and an emphasis on youth, appointing a coach such as Mourinho might not be the best decision.

Lastly, Hoeness’ recent comment that Bayern will not make any €100 million plus signings this summer suggests that Bayern is not buying any international super-stars this summer. Instead, it is clear that Bayern’s transfer policy will focus on developing already good players into superstars. Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard are two young players that are definitively ready for first-team action, yet they have every chance in the world to become even better at Bayern.

The recent news of Bayern potentially signing the likes of Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Nicholas Pepe suggests that Bayern is instead of spending their money on potential superstars. Hopefully, Niko Kovac will be the man who develops these players careers even further.