Are Bayern Munich treating the Bundesliga as their youth academy?
Bayern Munich: The supreme power in Germany
Winning their first ever Club World Cup meant that it was a 5th trophy in the bag for the year for the mighty Bayern Munich. The fans couldn’t have asked for more in 2013 , their team had won everything , yes everything which was there to be won. The best club in Germany has been a dominant force in Europe for many years now. What is the reason behind all this success ?? Yes, its “The Bundesliga” , which is these days commonly known as the youth system of Bayern Munich.
Unlike many other European heavy weights , Bayern have mostly invested in young or experienced players from Germany itself. This also showcases that the amount of upcoming talent in Germany is second to none , but Bayern buying almost all top talent has weakened the Bundesliga . In many ways, the German league is a direct supply unit for Bayern , which also reduces the chances of the others beating Bayern because they rely immensely on the talent of the players who they end up selling.
The most recent case has been that of Mario Gotze. The 37 million man had his mind made up about joining Bayern and eventually, he got what he desired. This “desire” which players often have , of joining Bayern is not a new thing in Germany. In previous years , we’ve seen players like Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, who led Bayer Leverkusen to new heights, before jumping ship to join Bayern Munich.
Mario Goetze moved to Bayern Munich from Borussia Dortmund
The all time leading German goalscorer , Miroslav Klose was snatched from Werder Bremen. Similarly, Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who was then dubbed to be the future best goalkeeper in the world was reportedly a Manchester United target until he opted to join the German side for a huge fee of 25 million euros (for a young goalkeeper). In all fairness , he’s certainly lived up to the hype.
Bayern have also invested in experienced players who over a period were excellent for their respective clubs. The purchase of Mario Mandzukic from VFL Wolfsburg in a reported 15 million Euro deal serves as a great example. Borussia Mönchengladbach stopper Dante was bought last season to shore up the Bayern defense. Most notably, the now Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez’ 26 million move to Bayern was a record breaking transfer in Germany at the time.
Speaking of records, Bayern have been involved in most of Germany’s record breaking transfers. They’ve also had a tendency to have a veteran striker in their ranks; Ivica Olic and Claudio Pizzaro being the most recent names on that list.
When given a choice , players in Germany have opted for big wages and the chance to lead their already settled lives in the country itself , over joining foreign clubs and experiencing a different football culture, bar the likes of a few select superstars like Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira etc. In addition to this , The appointment of Pep Guardiola has given the club, a big advantage in convincing young talents from Germany or abroad to join the club. Almost every player admires Guardiola’s brand of tikki – taka football and will obviously be eager to experience it.
The German league is now similar to a factory which finds and develops young talent , and then is on the receiving end of huge amounts sanctioned by Bayern Munich to hand over these players. Sadly, if players don’t join other big European clubs or choose to stay at their club, the Bundesliga might be a one horse race for many years to come.
Recently , Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said “Bayern will not stop signing Dortmund stars” . Having said that , another Dortmund player in Robert Lewandowski is set to arrive in Munich come next season which will prove to be a huge lift for this already unbeatable Bayern side. It’s almost impossible to compete with such a squad. They look like Invincibles , and they might be prove to be invincible for a long, long time.