With Bayern Munich’s season in danger of petering out into a hugely disappointing campaign and with the prospect of losing their Bundesliga crown a real possibility, CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić have raised the pressure on the club’s under-performing stars.
Salihamidžić, who himself has come in for a little criticism for the club’s transfer dealings, is reported to be holding face-to-face chats with the players in an effort to stop the season becoming an absolute failure. He is demanding the players show more self-criticism and assume responsibility. There are no more excuses according to reports.
The bosses are in agreement that each individual player has to prove they’re good enough for Bayern’s ambitions. At the end of the season, the situation will be assessed and the future of the players will be decided.
CEO Oliver Kahn has also chimed in after two disappointing performances against both Manchester City in the Champions League and Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. “We have more than twenty national players in our squad, it’s definitely not due to the sporting quality. Recently there was too little will, too little willingness to recognize. Inconsistency is our consistency, that cannot be the claim of this team.
“Everyone has to know what the crucial phase of the season is all about: showing who FC Bayern is. Only if we get that on the pitch, will we still have a chance against Man City.
“Under Thomas [Tuchel] , the team will find their form and consistency again. The last games have shown that there are some major adjustment screws that Thomas has to turn.”
Both Kahn and Salihamidžić have been widely criticised for their own part in the sacking of Julian Nagelsmann and should Bayern finally lose their Bundesliga crown this season, the pair will come under increasing scrutiny. Whether turning the spotlight so starkly on the players will prove to a wise move will be felt in the comings days and weeks.
However, many will claim that Kahn and Salihamidžić shouldn’t be throwing stones while in a glass house and maybe should be looking in the mirror rather than putting added pressure on the players.
