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Leroy Sane is the topic of the hour for Bayern Munich fans. Since arriving from Manchester City for a significant fee last season, the 25-year-old has failed to meet expectations. Now, it feels like everyone, from Bayern’s coaching staff to the people on the national team, are determined to do everything to get him back to his best.
The first step was putting Sane back on the left wing, which we saw against Bremer SV and the two national team games. The winger looked pretty good there, showing the dynamism and lethality he was known for under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage. Now, Nagelsmann intends to take it further. In a serious of quotes captured by TZ’s Manuel Bonke, the Bayern manager hinted at his future plans for the club’s #10:
Leroy #Sané beim #FCBayern dauerhaft auf dem linken Flügel? Cheftrainer Julian #Nagelsmann sagt: „Ich bin schon ein Trainer, der für Variabilität stehen will und auch von seinen Spielern verlangt, dass sie verschiedene Positionen spielen können. Das gilt auch für Leroy!“ (1/3)
— Manuel Bonke (@mano_bonke) September 7, 2021
Leroy #Sané at #FCBayern permanently on the left wing? Head coach Julian #Nagelsmann says: “I am already a coach who wants to stand for variability and also demands from his players that they can play different positions. That also applies to Leroy!”
“Of course, as a coach you always have to consider that the player plays in the position where he feels comfortable and thus brings his potential to the pitch. Of course, there will also be moments when he plays on the right, when he plays centrally.”
“Against Hertha, we switched at some point - and moved him to the central ten. That’s another position that suits him well. Leroy has the quality to play a supporting role anywhere on the pitch. And that’s independent of the side or the position.”
Interesting words, and some potentially fascinating implications for Sane’s future. Maybe if Nagelsmann really commits to the idea of flexibly, he’ll start Sane at right-back one of these days. Or maybe not.
At the moment, Leroy looks rather comfortable on the left, and it would be best not to disturb that. He really needs some confidence to get back to his best, and playing with Alphonso Davies on the left side of the pitch would be perfect for bringing his mojo back. Once we see his goal and assist numbers climbing again, that would be a good time to start further experimentation. Until then, Sane needs all the support he can get. Investing in him now could pay dividends in the future.
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