FC Bayern faces the dramatic loss of its identity
FC Bayern Munchen's Radical Roster Overhaul: A Risky Game
The radical roster overhaul being carried out by FC Bayern Munchen under its new radical sporting director, Max Eberl, is a risky play. It is clear that the record champions needed to make changes after their disappointing last season. However, the fact that Sporting Director Max Eberl is now putting the Bayern identity at risk should set off all alarm bells.
When Max Eberl was introduced to Bayern in early March, he shared a small anecdote during his first press conference as the new sporting director of FC Bayern Munchen. "I had to pack boxes for Didi Hamann because Herman Gerland didn't want us to run around during the summer holidays." At the time, he was asked about his "dream" and went a step further. Eberl spoke about the growing club, which he had accompanied for many years as a fellow youth - and the observers of this unusual process of a loose but extremely focused new sporting director had to assume that Max Eberl had deliberately told this story. Not even five months later, however, doubts began to emerge as to whether the former professional player was still following his own words from the spring in substance.
Max Eberl wanted to show back then (perhaps) that FC Bayern Munchen is a unique club. A club with a very special identity and mentality. A club that, with its "Mia san mia," always acted between an excessive self-confidence and a shot of arrogance and passed on this special Bayern gene in an extraordinary way from generation to generation.
FC Bayern Munchen was also a club that could rely on the fact that players and officials had been there for years and even decades, keeping their loyalty to the club and shaping and passing on its unique character. Uli Hoeness himself once put this special form of loyalty, the Bayern family, into words with a sentence: "Anyone who behaved seriously at Bayern Munchen has a lifetime pass for help." This feeling that there is a club that clearly and happily distinguishes itself from other professional clubs - even internationally - has always defined the record champions and probably made their outstanding sporting and economic success possible.
Kimmich Statements Indicate Change
In recent years, after the final departure of Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, there has been little trace of this special feeling at FC Bayern Munchen. The fans and officials of the club, of course, do not want to hear this, but FC Bayern Munchen is increasingly and visibly on the way to becoming just another club. Therefore, there were great hopes when Max Eberl came in March, as he reminded us of the old values of the club. However, in these days, it is above all the handling of a certain personnel matter that raises doubts as to whether the sporting director of the Bayerns himself is still aware of what has made the club great and unique.
Eberl's words on the topic of Joshua Kimmich should set off all alarm bells among Bayern fans - and if the reactions in social media are to be believed ("I find it impossible to treat a Kimmich like that"), this is exactly what is happening for a not insignificant part of the fans. The long-term fans of the record champions have apparently developed a fine sense for the fact that not only is the roster being drastically changed at Bayern, but something is also happening on a deeper level. And this leaves the more perceptive fans unmoved, as can be seen in the numerous critical contributions on the internet.
Gerland's Departure was a Sign
Hermann Gerland's departure was a sign.
Max Eberl refers to Joshua Kimmich, a player in the club since 2015, on general matters ("I'm just saying what applies to all"), making the situation even worse. In fact, Eberl's statements now definitively release the personality of Kimmich. If he had instead stated that no one would be thinking about a departure of the deserving national player and Bayern professional, as they did with Thomas Müller, because Kimmich has become an essential part of Bayern's identity, the discussion would have ended. It would have been an important sign.
Given that this didn't happen, Munich officials should ask themselves (allow themselves to be asked) in these days if they always and forever keep in mind what makes this club special and unique in all the years of great success. After all, besides the sporting triumphs and a lot of money, FC Bayern Munich was always a club that was different from others.
At least since Hermann Gerland packed his things after nearly 25 years at the record champion, they should have paid attention on Saebener Strasse. However, it is still not too late to turn the rudder. Nevertheless, Max Eberl should think more often in the future about the past in all his (not always simple) actions and let his heart speak. Because without "Mia san mia" and the special warmth, FC Bayern Munich loses in the end more - than just its identity.
Following the departure of Gerland, Max Eberl's handling of Joshua Kimmich's future at FC Bayern Munich has raised concerns among fans. Eberl's general remarks about Kimmich's potential departure, despite his significance to the club's identity, have not gone unnoticed and have sparked criticism among the fanbase.
