Franz Beckenbauer: “Hansi Flick has reinvigorated Bayern”

Franz Beckenbauer recently gave an interview to Bayern Munich’s club magazine, 51. Der Kaiser turns 75 later on this week and in the interview, he said the future of the club looks very bright under the guidance of Hansi Flick, Oliver Kahn, Hasan Salihamidzic, Herbert Hainer, and the rest of Bayern’s hierarchy (FCBayern.com)

Obviously, Beckenbauer has been involved with Bayern for a long, long time and he’s seen the club go through several rough patches, but he recognizes the level of commitment the players currently have. Specifically, he highlighted the fact that all of the players have looked completely rejuvenated under Flick and said a lot of it comes down to the attitude he’s able to instill in each individual in the squad:

Hansi Flick has reinvigorated the team again. Before that it felt like some players weren’t really up for it. It’s one of his biggest achievements to get everybody going again and just convey joy. I really enjoy this football. Hansi has a very human side and he knows exactly how to speak to all the World Cup winners and serial champions. He’s accepted by the players and that’s reflected on the pitch. The treble didn’t come from nowhere.

Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

When Flick took charge of the club to replace Niko Kovac, Bayern was seven points off the top of the Bundesliga table. It looked as if this might’ve been the season that Die Roten was finally dethroned in Germany, but the turnaround was nothing short of remarkable, especially having to deal with an extended break in action due to the coronavirus pandemic. When all was said and done, Bayern had accumulated an overall record of 31 wins, 2 losses and 0 draws across all competitions under Flick en route to securing another historic treble. Their Bundesliga title marked their eighth in a row, something Beckenbauer says doesn’t come without the right hunger, desire, and mentality:

It used to be said that you’d have to rebuild the team after two or three title wins because they wouldn’t be able to give their all again. Players today are more rigorous. Being champions eight times in succession is a really high art, a sign of outstanding mentality and outstanding desire. I can only salute them. Brilliant. And I don’t get the impression these boys have had enough. The treble is definitely an incentive.

Bayern’s front office is also in the midst of a transition period. Hainer has taken over as President after Uli Hoeness stepped down, Kahn is going to take Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s place as CEO, and Salihamidzic assumed a spot on the club’s executive board. Beckenbauer feels that the future of the club looks bright under this leadership:

Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidžić are working very successfully with Herbert Hainer. They’ve shown they’re capable of following in the big footsteps of Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. I absolutely believe they will continue to follow the same path that Uli and Kalle have laid out, in the same style, with the same commitment and the same joy. I’ve no doubt about that. There could hardly have been a better start.