Thomas Müller’s leadership off the pitch impressed Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick

Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick loves what Thomas Müller brings to the pitch during every training and fixture. Flick, however, also is quick to note just how important Müller’s work is off-the-pitch as well.

Recently, Müller took to Instagram (which we covered here) to give some words of encouragement to talented, yet seldom-used defender Lucas Hernandez:

For Flick, the subtle things Müller does — like that Instagram post above — make a huge difference in keeping the team together.

“Everyone has a good sense of what is important for the team,” said Flick during his press conference ahead of the team’s Champions League match against Lazio (as captured by Tz). “Thomas specifically...I really enjoy seeing something like this. This is important for the team process. They make sure that everyone has their platform — that was a very good action by Thomas, it shows that the team is intact.”

After Carlo Ancelotti and Niko Kovac both banished Müller to the bench for what appeared to be no reason, Flick’s belief in the Raumdeuter has given the squad’s vice-captain a much bigger presence both on-and-off the field.

Müller has clearly mastered the art of being both demanding with his teammates and supportive at the same time. This is a trait that is hard to come by, but one that is clearly appreciated by his teammates and coaches alike.