Niko Kovac attributes the language issue to Thomas Müller and Zoff.
Thomas Müller was expected to see game time, if necessary, according to Niko Kovač during his time as Bayern Munich's coach. Years later, the former Bayern legend is still active. Kovaç recently discussed a statement that caused a stir back then.
"Müller always plays": This was a rule established by Louis van Gaal during his time at Bayern Munich, and it held true for many years. Today, Müller is still under contract with his club and is seeing playing time under Vincent Kompany. He played the full 90 minutes in Bayern's 4-0 win against VfB Stuttgart last Saturday, just like he did before the international break against Eintracht Frankfurt. In previous matchdays, he came on as a substitute, but now, at 35, Müller is also known as a "space interpreter".
A few years ago, Müller found himself on the bench more frequently, even considering leaving Bayern. "Sure, you want to play, it's not just about the money, but about satisfaction. Back then, I would have been open to less loyalty to the club," he told "Kicker" in retrospect in the summer of 2024. During Kovač's tenure from July 2018 to November 2019, Müller played less, and he also received some harsh criticism: "If necessary, he will certainly get his minutes," Kovač had said at the time. Being a substitute for Müller - that caused quite a stir.
Now, Kovač clarifies that his words were misconstrued. "I meant to say: If things aren't going well, then he will certainly come on," he explained. Müller was "not a last resort," he insisted. Kovač, now 53, admitted to making a mistake. "I thought I was quite proficient in German, but I was wrong," said the Croatian-born coach, who spent his entire career with German clubs and RB Salzburg.
"I've spoken to Thomas about this, and Thomas knows exactly what the situation was. In hindsight, Thomas should have played much more at the time," Kovač said. However, he was also under pressure: "Firstly, I must say that when I started in Munich, we had a team that needed to be rebuilt, and it was already a given that we should push forward the generational change."
While Kovač's time at the Säbener Straße ended in autumn 2019, Müller is still a crucial player for Bayern Munich. Müller's contract expires at the end of the season, but Kovač believes he has more to offer. Kovač also praised Müller, calling him a "symbol" and "the FC Bayern Munich". He compared Müller to legends like Lothar Matthäus, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Oliver Kahn, and Manuel Neuer. Kovač thinks Bayern is doing the right thing if they keep Müller and integrate him into the club after his footballing career.
During Kovač's tenure as Bayern Munich's coach, Müller faced less playing time and received criticism for being a substitute. However, Kovač later clarified that he meant Müller would come on if necessary, and not that he was a last resort.
Müller's soccer skills and contributions to Bayern Munich have earned him comparisons to legends like Lothar Matthäus, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Oliver Kahn, and Manuel Neuer. Despite his age, he continues to be a crucial player for the team, and Kovač believes he has more to offer.
