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German outlet kicker has provided an update on the future of coaching staff at Bayern Munich.
After Julian Nagelsmann’s appointment as head coach was made official, the 34-year-old had stated that he will be bringing Benjamin Glück and Timmo Hardung as his assistant managers to Bayern.
While Glück plays the role of a video analyst, Hardung has been Nagelsmann’s team manager for almost six years now. Two weeks ago, kicker and Sport Bild had even speculated about the future of Kathleen Krüger, whose position at Die Roten coincides with that of Hardung.
Vielen Dank auch ans Team ums Team @DieRotenBullen pic.twitter.com/CykwhrlE1s
— Julian Nagelsmann (@J__Nagelsmann) March 4, 2021
However, now it appears that Hardung will NOT be accompanying Nagelsmann to Munich. According to kicker, Hardung was envisioned as the team manager while being a member of the coaching staff, rather than a club employee:
Timmo Hardung (31), the former team manager at RB Leipzig and Nagelsmann’s confidant, was not intended for this function at the record champion, but as a member of the coaching staff, literally as an assistant to the coach, i.e. as the right hand of the head coach. In this role, which is quite new in football so far, Hardung was supposed to mainly take care of organisational tasks and work structurally.
At Bayern, however, Kathleen Krüger is responsible for overseeing the complete organisation of team and she will continue to operate in the same capacity. Therefore, It remains to be seen if Hardung is able to find a different role at Nagelsmann’s new club.
Current RB Leipzig assistants Dino Toppmöller and Xaver Zembrod, and Barcelona’s Alfred Schreuder are the candidates being discussed for the role of Nagelsmann’s ‘right-hand man.’ As reported previously by ESPN, Schreuder, who has previously worked with Nagelsmann at Hoffenheim, happens to be on the young trainer’s wish list.
For now, clarifying the future of current coach Hansi Flick’s assistant managers remains a priority for Bayern Munich management.
Before the co-coaching positions are definitely filled, the future of the current co-coaches Hermann Gerland (contract until 2022), Danny Röhl (2023) and Miroslav Klose (until the end of the season) must be discussed anyway. It is highly unlikely that Klose will stay on.
Judging by the recent rumours, Klose and Röhl are expected to follow Flick to Germany national team. Thus, it is possible that Nagelsmann’s coaching bench will consist of Gerland and Schreuder as two experienced assistants, Glück as video analyst and Toni Tapalović as goalkeeper trainer at the Bavarians, next season.