Oliver Kahn has announced a clarifying meeting with the top management after the argument about his departure from FC Bayern. “We will – when everything has cooled down – sit down and talk about everything in peace,” said the 53-year-old of the “Bild” newspaper. He defended his behavior after the breakup. He had “so far expressed himself very factually about everything. I’m sure everyone can understand that I’m disappointed not to have been with the team yesterday.”
FC Bayern made the separation from the previous CEO Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidžić public on Saturday immediately after winning the eleventh championship title in a row. Both were informed of the decision on Friday after a supervisory board meeting. Club President Herbert Hainer described the conversation with Kahn as “not consensual”.
The former national goalkeeper Kahn was not at the decisive game in Cologne on Saturday and also not at the championship celebration. Hainer justified this with the process on Thursday and Friday. Kahn had previously written on Twitter that he had been “banned by the club”. After two years as CEO at FC Bayern, Kahn does not see himself as a failure. “I took on this responsibility because I wanted to give something back to the club,” said the long-time Bayern goalkeeper. “After the very successful time with Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, that was not an easy task.”
“I’m so sorry”
Nevertheless, Kahn looks back on his time with Munich with positive feelings. “The club is currently in a transition phase, which is always difficult and in which mistakes sometimes happen. Even if the current situation is not easy, for me the many great experiences with FC Bayern far outweigh the negative ones,” he said. “The irritations of the past few days will not change that.”
Previously, President Hainer Kahn had verbally extended his hand. “We are always ready” for a reconciliation, Hainer said on the fringes of the celebrations at Marienplatz on BR, “I wrote that to Oliver too, that he can reach me at any time”. Kahn is “an icon of FC Bayern”, added Hainer: “I’m incredibly sorry that things are so different. I hope he understands and comes back.”
Bayern had parted ways with Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić on the home stretch of the season with the last-minute championship in Cologne (2-1). According to Hainer, Salihamidžić’s exit was “amicable”, but Kahn opposed it. There were contradictory reports about the course of the recall of the former captain, he was not allowed to celebrate and spoke of the “worst day of my life”.
Meanwhile, FC Bayern is planning a well-known solution for the replacement of the position of sports director. “We’re looking for a big calibre,” said Hainer on Sunday evening at the championship celebrations on Munich’s Marienplatz in an ARD interview. “We are already on the way, we have ideas,” added the 68-year-old Hainer: “We will certainly find a very good successor for Hasan.”
A great caliber as head of sport would be the former Bayern professional Max Eberl, whom Bayern Honorary President Uli Hoeneß wanted to steer to Munich a few years ago. The 49-year-old Eberl only joined the DFB Cup finalist RB Leipzig at the end of last year after a private break as Managing Director Sport.
Salihamidžić will leave the club “without resentment”. “It’s always about FC Bayern. That’s the way I’ve always lived here and it will stay that way. And I want to make one thing very clear – I said that in all conversations with Uli Hoeneß and Herbert Hainer: I want to remain a friend of FC Bayern!” said the former professional to the “Bild” newspaper after his departure as the Munich sports director . “I have always done my work to the best of my knowledge and belief. From the first day to the last for FC Bayern! That’s how it should stay.”
When asked whether Honorary President Hoeneß would remain his friend, the 46-year-old replied: “Yes! I’m a friend of the club. And I will always be a friend of the club! I played football here for nine years and have now been at the club for six years as sports director or sports director – that stays forever.”
Thomas Tuchel is hoping for an end to the ongoing internal quarrels at Bayern Munich. “It would be desirable if things calmed down and we could concentrate on sports, we have enough to do,” said the coach on the sidelines of the championship celebrations at Sky. “We want to improve on all levels,” explained the coach: “We want to be a unit with a family feeling, protect ourselves from other opinions and build a group of wagons – only then can we demand everything from the players.”
