Bayern Munich stands between Vincent Kompany and a potential exit.

Bayern Munich defends against Vincent Kompany's threat

Several trainers have decided to leave FC Bayern, but the record champions are still attempting to promote Vincent Kompany as their ideal candidate. However, Kompany is not well-liked by the Munich management, including sporting director Max Eberl.

Kompany is known for his aggressive style of play, but during his first public appearance as the new trainer of FC Bayern, he encountered a team in a defensive position. "Whether we're first, second, third, or in any other position, that's not significant," Eberl sought to clarify early on that the 38-year-old had been placed between the fifth and tenth options on the list of potential head coaches. "Many misinterpreted the situation, which didn't go down well," said Eberl, alluding to the widespread media coverage of the seemingly never-ending search.

On the other hand, Uli Hoeneß, FC Bayern's honorary president, stated that Ralf Rangnick was the third choice, who ultimately opted to serve as the Austrian national coach. The truth that the succession of Thomas Tuchel "should have been decided in April" (quote Eberl) and Kompany is now being presented in late May raises doubts about the planning and organization of FC Bayern.

"We had to talk to Kompany directly, and then the entire search would have been complete," said Eberl, suggesting that the search discussions might soon come to an end. However, this debate will likely continue to haunt Munich for at least several more months.

Bayern can't present Kompany as a stopgap solution and undermine his authority on the sidelines. Eberl and company must say that Kompany is the best choice, and he deserves the opportunity to prove himself despite the peculiar circumstances.

But the requests to Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann, the talks with Ralf Rangnick, Hansi Flick, and Oliver Glasner, the discussions with Thomas Tuchel, the rumors about Roberto De Zerbi, Zinedine Zidane, Julen Lopetegui, Roger Schmidt, and Sebastian Hoeneß won't just fade away. And especially because Max Eberl stated that "some have registered and withdrawn, with whom we have never spoken."

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Vincent Kompany is ready to spearhead a squad makeover and lead Bayern back to glory after their first trophyless season in over a decade. "I'm thrilled to be here and work alongside these outstanding individuals," praised the Belgian his new work buddies and evaded discussing the numerous other options. Certainly, he's keen on restoring some business-like calm to Sabener Strasse.

Eberl expressed his hope that "we now have a chance to right our wrongs and become one cohesive unit again." While he also criticized internally, stating that "we must back our coach and offer him the support he needs." These sentiments were echoed by Uli Hoeneß, who had lambasted Tuchel for his disregard of young players - to which the outgoing coach replied that he had been "sidelined in my coaching career" by such demands.

There's a general consensus in Munich about the appointment of Vincent Kompany. Kompany claimed that he had "spoken with Uli Hoeneß" and "also knows that I have the full support of the club." The two board members, although they no longer have active roles in the day-to-day business, still weighed in on occasion. Sometimes explicitly, such as in the transfer committee of the previous year, and other times unexpectedly from the outside, like with Hoeneß' remarks on Rangnick and Tuchel or Rummenigge's declaration of support for Kompany.

"This is a fantastic start as a coach and a club," said board chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen, who often seems to be overshadowed by the more prominent names. This statement could also be interpreted as an attempt to regain communication control: "The key aspect here is that we are all united in our support for Vincent Kompany."

The same thought can be inferred from this comment by Eberl, "I feel from my point of view that we have chosen the best coach for Bayern Munich for the next few years." As if the appointments of Alonso, Nagelsmann, or Rangnick, where the only obstacle was a signature, would have been much less desirable options - a contention that no one can seriously make at the moment.

But Eberl's statement about Kompany being "one of the most intriguing trainers in Europe" holds true. The fact that he moved from relegated FC Burnley to Munich, where victory is the bare minimum, proves it. Just like Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola, he had a successful career as a player, learned under the best coaches, and now believes he's prepared to manage a major club. Kompany once shared his playing philosophy: "In every phase of the game, we must have a strategy or idea to score a goal, whether it's a defensive throw-in or a corner kick we defend." He stressed that he wants to focus on "brave players" and aggression during his presentation.

Regarding potential players from Bayern's current squad, Kompany wasn't ready to comment just yet. "From my perspective, it's still too early to discuss specific players. I'm thrilled to work with everyone. I also want to discover how passionate the players are."

As Eberl mentioned, he and Sport Director Christoph Freund may be "a step ahead" already, and there will be no "strike lists." However, there are Bayern players who have contracts and could face tougher times ahead in the future - a normal occurrence in performance sports. This means the transfer speculations about Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, and others won't fade anytime soon. How challenging it will be for Vincent Kompany in his initial managerial position will become apparent in the upcoming months. He himself is "proud but also motivated" to begin now. Hopefully, the strife that has been absent from Munich for a while will soon end.