When Bayern Munich decided to part ways with Thomas Tuchel, there were a few names that those associated with the club were hoping to see in the home dugout at the Allianz Arena for the upcoming campaign.
Xabi Alonso was undeniably the favourite for the fans, but also the club’s management, while Roberto De Zebri, Hansi Flick, and Julian Nagelsmann were just a handful of other names expected to possibly succeed Tuchel.
Therefore, it came as some surprise when Max Eberl targeted former Burnely head coach Vincent Kompany.
Nevertheless, the Belgian has been supported by the Bayern board, the fans, and, most importantly, the players.
Despite a frustrating 1-1 draw with FC Düren in pre-season, Bayern have since gone on to beat Tottenham Hotspur twice, something that will undoubtedly help Kompany win over any doubters.
Regardless, one person who has already been won over by the Belgian head coach is Harry Kane, who recently returned to the Bayern squad after an extended summer break.
Speaking to Sky Germany after Der Rekordmeister’s victory over Spurs, the England captain heaped praise on his new head coach:
“I’ve heard a lot of great things, not only as a coach but also as a person when he was captain and leader at Manchester City. I’ve only been here for a few days so far, but I love the energy he brought into the building, the meeting rooms, and the pitch. Personally, I can’t wait to be back with the team, to train together, and to slowly understand how he wants to play and his ideas. I think you’ll see very intense games from us this season, and with our players, that’s the best approach.”
With the record champions set to kickstart their campaign against SSV Ulm in the DFB-Pokal next week, it will certainly be interesting to see how Kompany starts life in the Bayern hotseat.
GGFN | Will Shopland