Report: Former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac linked with Olympique Lyon

Per new information from Foot Mercato and Fussball Transfers (via SportBild), former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac is on a short list of names of managers to potentially replace Peter Bosz at Olympique Lyon in Ligue 1. There is an understanding that Bosz is soon to be axed by the club as they’re having one of their worst Ligue 1 seasons in 15 years. They currently occupy the tenth spot in the table.

Kovac was sacked from AS Monaco at the beginning of the year from what seemed to be an issue that stemmed from his poor relationship with Monaco’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell (not the hair guy). Much like Kovac, Mitchell came on board in the summer of 2020 and Monaco had a successful season, finishing third in Ligue 1 and runners-up in the Coupe de France, but fortunes have not been the same for this current campaign.

In addition to Kovac, Monaco are also considering Racing Strasbourg’s Julien Stephan and Laurent Blanc for the managerial position to replace Bosz. Both have significantly more experience in the French top flight than Kovac, but what he lacks in Ligue 1 experience, he makes up for with his experience from coaching Bundesliga clubs. In that same vein, Kovac has also been linked with Bundesliga jobs since he was sacked by Monaco. Hertha Berlin was one club interested, but they have since hired Felix Magath, and he’d also been linked with Borussia Monchengladbach, who has not been doing exceptionally well under Adi Hutter.

On the surface, without reading too much into this, Kovac’s recent track record as far as working with front office individuals and other coaches doesn’t necessarily bode well for him. Kovac was rumored to have lost the dressing room when he was Bayern manager, leading to his dismissal from the club in November 2019. It is also clear that his struggles with Paul Mitchell at Monaco inevitably led to his departure from the Principality club.

Much like the pre-existing relationship Kovac had with Alexander Nubel when he took over at Monaco, such would also be the case with Jerome Boateng at Lyon if he were to be chosen to replace Bosz. Working with a former player with the veteran status of Boateng could benefit the transition for Kovac if that were to materialize.