A perfect Bayern Munich to average and almost perfection again
After the dominance and a conquering FC Bayern Munich side of the 70s that won a three consecutive European Cups from 1974-76, there has been different generations of Bayern Munich that have tried to replicate or repeat what their predecessors have chalked but have yielded no fruitful result, most especially in European competitions due to many factors.
The Bayern Munich of the 70s were really a force to reckon with in terms of domestic football, European football and the world as a whole where they were touted as the best team of the decade (1970-80). They went further to conquer the world in the intercontinental cup against Cruzeiro in 1976. It does attest to how powerful and resolute that generation were.
Moving on to the 80s and 90s after a decade of perfect football from 70s, there were some successes which was also chalked during those time mostly in the domestic league. Bayern Munich were vibrant in Europe, albeit, little was to be said talking about successes and dominance.
The best Bayern went that far in Europe was to win the UEFA Cup in 1995-96 against Bordeaux although there were some Champions League final lost during some intervals including 1999 against Manchester United.
Bayern Munich came back invigorated in the millennium by winning the Champions League in 2001 against Valencia and further added their second intercontinental cup to their numbers. Then after was when future projections wasn’t effectively made to instill the continuous success of the club. As the adage goes “success without succession is nothing” which reaped off in the future.
Since it was long overdue to which the club needed prudent measures to solve this menace, there were many administrative reshuffling and other managerial changes which looked productive to manifest into the desired result.
Over a period of a decade (2003-2013), the club made many managerial changes counting about 7 coaches with some coming on their second instinct on interim basis like Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jupp Heynckes, each of them having different ideas, principles and philosophies of the game which they imposed on the club.
All these gaffers caused more good than harm to the club for the reason been that all their ideas, principles and philosophies where inculcated and maintained in trying to redefining the state of the club which in turn produced an unprecedented run in the history of the club by winning the treble – UCL, Bundesliga, and the DFB Pokal.
Another factor which is leading the club to achieving the perfection again is the fact that the activities of sporting directors are allowed to take part in the technical team. The likes of Uli Hoeness who is the current President of the club and the immediate past director of sports for the club, Christian Nerlinger, have done tremendously well in bringing this Bayern thus far in terms of quality and world class purchases.
Mathias Sammer who is the present sporting director of the club has been an indispensable figure for the club since his appointment in the 2012/2013 season which Jupp Heynckes was in his second and final year in charge of the club. He has instilled discipline, as he is known to be a disciplinarian, and the winning mentally in the team.
Beating Hamburg by 9-2 last season wasn’t something too happy since Bayern Munich conceded two “cheap” goal which he thought could have been avoided. That’s the kind of leader who can lead a club to perfection.
The plethora of talent at the club’s disposal is because of how much important the club administrators has laid on ensuring that the youth system of the club is improved and given the youth the challenge to prove their mettle with the experience ones. The likes of Phillip Lahm, David Alaba, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, etc. are all product of the clubs youth system who now forms an integral part of the team success.
The slot in of Pep Guardiola to succeed Jupp Heynckes was just in the nick of time at a moment when everything was heading towards the targeted goals. After all these factors were allowed to manoeuvre in the Bayern fraternity, there was the need for someone who could handle and renationalized the Bayern system to suit the modern game and there was no one like Pep Guardiola who saw better structures at Bayern more than the English club who wanted his signature during his sabbatical in the U.S.A.
With two major trophies with his name now, with 6 months in charge FC Bayern Munich, he ends the calender year for Bayern with 5 trophies (UCL, Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, Europa Super Cup and the FIFA WCC) with his former club having better with 6 in 2009 under his tutelage.
Although it is too early for Bayern (fans) to hallow before the perfection is achieved, it is an augury to the fact that the path to it is really bright and on point. Been able to defend 2 or 3 of their trophies in the next calender year will be nothing short of perfection for the best club in the world, F.C. Bayern Munich.