The newly appointed Bayern manager intends to ascend to unprecedented summits.
Gordon Herbert, recently appointed coach of Bayern Munich, aims to repeat his success with the German national team. At the EuroLeague, he encounters several of his World Cup comrades and has specific strategies for "swine" and "thoroughbreds".
After managing to endure his Finland retreat for merely three days, Herbert promptly embraced his new position at Bayern Munich following the Olympic setback. "It truly felt good to begin anew," shared the Canadian, renowned for his insatiable hunger for more. Arriving at the Isar, he unveiled a bold ambition.
"My goal is to safeguard the German title and progress to the EuroLeague Final Four," he declared at his press conference. Such declarations are familiar territory for Herbert. Upon assuming the national coach role in 2021, he advocated for three medals in three years – a statement that was met with laughter. However, he silenced his critics by claiming bronze at the European Championships, gold at the World Cup, and narrowly missing an Olympic medal three weeks prior.
The Munich team will undoubtedly benefit from someone like him. Since setting their sights on European supremacy, Bayern Munich became the first German squad to qualify for the EuroLeague playoffs in 2021 and 2022. Regrettably, they finished 15th in the past two main rounds, seeking to improve under Herbert.
Swine and Thoroughbreds
Herbert's ambition to achieve something extraordinary with Bayern Munich was apparent from the start. He had already arranged his initial training session in Munich on August 15, only eight days after the bronze medal game in Paris. This "dedication" is not unfamiliar to professional athletes, especially those in the prominent German bloc that Herbert relies on.
In Munich, the 65-year-old, whose contract spans until 2026, will reunite not only with Niels Giffey and Andreas Obst but also Oscar da Silva and Johannes Voigtmann, whom he knows well from the national team. The sole exception is Isaac Bonga, who now plays for Partizan Belgrade in the EuroLeague. "The transition becomes significantly smoother," Herbert reported: "When they joined last week, things began moving faster. I believe this is a massive advantage."
While Herbert acknowledged that working with the club differed slightly from working with a national team, he still employed his typical role distribution strategy in Munich. He was discussing "swine" and "thoroughbreds" – "It's essential in team sports that the 'swine', the role players, do not aspire to be superstars," he explained. "Yet, it is even more crucial that your top players, the 'thoroughbreds', perform their 'swine' tasks."
Identifying the players best suited for each role in this exceptionally talented Bundesliga squad remains to be seen. Herbert still has three weeks until the season commences. His debut is slated for September 20 against the Niners Chemnitz. On October 3, Bayern will inaugurate their new SAP Garden against Real Madrid's illustrious lineup in the EuroLeague.
During his tenure at Bayern Munich Basketball, Herbert has reconnected with several of his World Cup comrades, including Niels Giffey, Andreas Obst, Oscar da Silva, and Johannes Voigtmann. He shared his strategic approach towards these players, distinguishing between "swine" and "thoroughbreds", emphasizing the importance of role players not aspiring to be superstars, while ensuring that top performers perform their supporting roles effectively.
Bayern Munich Basketball, with its stacked Bundesliga squad, will face Real Madrid's EuroLeague lineup on October 3 in their inaugural match at the newly opened SAP Garden, under the guidance of the ambitious Gordon Herbert.
