Julian Nagelsmann not on hot seat even if Bayern Munich implodes in Champions League, but not everyone is happy

While Bayern Munich’s performance against Villarreal in the Champions League might have caused some fans to question whether or not Julian Nagelsmann is the right person for the job in Bavaria, the club’s brass did not lose confidence in the young manager.

According to a report from Sport1, Nagelsmann’s job is safe even if the squad implodes on Tuesday:

Except for the CEO, none of those responsible wanted to comment publicly on the performance in seventh place in the Spanish league. The tenor: An assessment should only be made after the second leg next Tuesday - after all, due to the many great opportunities Villarreal missed, there are still legitimate hopes of making it into the semi-finals.

But what if there is no reaction in the Allianz Arena? Does that mean that coach Julian Nagelsmann – who is responsible for the unsung defeat in the cup against Borussia Mönchengladbach (0:5) – has to worry about his job? The answer is: No! According to SPORT1 information, Nagelsmann is firmly in the saddle regardless of the outcome of the second leg and continues to enjoy the unlimited trust of the bosses.

Interestingly, Sport1 also noted that Nagelsmann, sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidzic, and technical director Marco Neppe know the team has issues with depth and do not feel as though the current squad is as strong as the treble-winning 2019/20 team — which also weighs in the coach’s favor for staying on.

While Nagelsmann does have the support of the club’s brass, he might be feeling the heat from some of the team’s star players per Sport1:

This in no way absolves Nagelsmann of responsibility, especially since, according to SPORT1 information, critical tones have recently arisen within the team regarding his sometimes very offensive playing style and even one or two established players have approached the coach to express dissatisfaction about his role in the team and/or his tactical tasks.

Not a new phenomenon in Bayern’s star-studded dressing room, Nagelsmann’s predecessors (some more, some less) also had to endure this. But the coach has the full backing of his superiors!

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While the story might seem obvious to some, Nagelsmann has had his share of vocal detractors this season, including some in the locker room per Sport1. All-in-all, Nagelsmann has done a good job so far this season and — at a minimum — deserves the opportunity to work with the team again in 2022/23.

The former RB Leipzig boss certainly has some ideas for how he eventually wants this team to look and operate, but patience is not always a virtue found on the grounds of Sabener Strasse. The big question is if he can mold the rosters that he is given into serious threats in Europe on a consistent basis.

Undoubtedly, no one could see that result if he was sacked after one season. Criticized at times for his formation, his tactics, and his player management, Nagelsmann clearly has a vision in place, but it remains to be seen if he can acquire — and in some cases, retain — all of the parts to make it work.

The young coach came to Bayern Munich after Hansi Flick’s immensely successful run and was always going to have to battle his way out of Flick’s shadow. He certainly deserves more than one season to make that happen.

About the only somewhat troublesome part of the report revolved around some “established” players being critical of the manager. We had already heard whispers about this, but with a team in a state of flux in terms of contract negotiations, the coach can ill-afford to lose the locker room now — or at any point in the near future as the club plots to transition from one generation to the next.