/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69207306/1192123812.0.jpg)
Per a report from German magazine kicker, the future of current assistant managers at Bayern Munich remains unclear. With new head coach Julian Nagelsmann set to take over from Hansi Flick, it is being widely anticipated that there could be an upheaval in the Bavarians’ coaching team.
Assistant manager Miroslav Klose and his partner, analysis coach Danny Röhl, are expected to join Hansi Flick’s staff when the 56-year old inevitably becomes the manager of Germany’s national team.
As for the rest, kicker speculates on the future of two prominent dressing room personalities — goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović and team manager Kathleen Krüger.
Toni Tapalović - Manuel Neuer’s confidant
Nagelsmann has a delicate task on his hands when it comes to ‘goalkeeping’ situation. In addition to dealing with Alexander Nubel’s alleged demands of more playing time, either at Bayern or through a loan deal, Nagelsmann will also have a say in coach Toni Tapalović’s case.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22478426/1313132466.jpg)
As has been extensively analysed on our site, if Nagelsmann wants to succeed at Bayern Munich, the 33-year-old will need to keep the leading players happy. One such figure is club captain Manuel Neuer.
The Germany captain holds Tapalović in high regard. The two have been in collaboration since before 2011 (when Neuer was at FC Schalke) and the Croatian was promoted to a more prominent role after earning Flick’s trust last season:
Neuer’s confidant Toni Tapalovic (40) was recently promoted from goalkeeper coach to influential assistant, as the seating arrangement on the substitutes’ bench already shows. However, Tapalovic’s alleged push for a pay rise is said not to have gone down well.
Considering Tapalović’s tactical acumen and importance to Neuer, Nagelsmann will definitely want to keep him by his side.
What about the glue that holds the team together?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22478431/1254316271.jpg)
Nagelsmann will also be bringing two assistant coaches with him — Benjamin Glück and Timmo Hardung. While Glück’s role is that of a video analyst, Hardung has performed the duties of a team manager in Nagelsmann’s teams. It, therefore, remains to be seen what lies ahead for current team manager at Bayern Munich — Kathleen Krüger, one of the club’s crucial cogs since her promotion to the post:
It is clear that Nagelsmann will bring video analyst Benjamin Glück (35) and team manager Timmo Hardung (31) with him from Leipzig. It is therefore also exciting to see whether Kathleen Krüger (35), the previously proven team manager at FC Bayern, will get her usual job back after her current pregnancy.
Recently, Sport Bild editor Christian Falk also gave his assessment on Krüger’s situation. Like Flick and Klose, Krüger has also said to have had differences with sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić and could accompany Flick to DFB:
In a few weeks, Krüger and her partner are expecting their first child and will then go on maternity leave. FC Bayern is keeping the position open for her. No secret: she, too, experienced tensions in her cooperation with sports director Hasan Salihamidzic (44). If Krüger wants to change, Flick would immediately take her to his next employer, in all likelihood the DFB.
Losing Klose, Röhl, Krüger and potentially Herman Gerland would be too drastic a change for Bayern players. For now, we can seek relief from Tz reporter Manuel Bonke’s claim that Krüger will certainly have a place at Bayern when she comes back.