There are increasing signs that Ralf Rangnick will take over from Thomas Tuchel at FC Bayern in the summer. Munich are just waiting for the 65-year-old’s final „yes“. Just a few years ago, Rangnick’s commitment to FCB would have been unimaginable, mainly because of Uli Hoeneß. However, the club patron has fundamentally changed his mind about Rangnick.
For years, Ralf Rangnick was a Bayern opponent and challenger in the Bundesliga. Particularly during his time at Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, the football coach fought numerous duels with the Munich team, both on and off the pitch.
Unforgotten: When Hoffenheim were promoted and became autumn champions in 2008, Rangnick could not resist a little side-swipe in the direction of Bayern: „If you want to hear snappy slogans, then you have to go to Munich. If you want to see fast-paced football, then you’ve come to the right place,“ said the TSG coach at the time.
The response from Säbener Straße was not long in coming: „Rangnick is a know-it-all who performs superbly in his first year and is sacked in his second. Rangnick doesn’t know how to deal with high altitude,“ ranted Uli Hoeneß on SPORT1-Doppelpass on live TV at the time.
Hoeneß no longer has any reservations about Rangnick
In recent days, reports have been doing the rounds that Rangnick enjoys the support of all Bayern bosses, including Hoeneß. According to tz, the two squabblers had already spoken some time ago.
BILD also reports that the 72-year-old no longer has any reservations about Rangnick. Hoeneß used to see Rangnick as an „enemy of Bayern“, today he sees him as a „great man“.
Those responsible at the Isar are not only convinced of Rangnick’s human qualities, they are also unanimous in sporting terms: Rangnick is the right successor to Thomas Tuchel. According to BILD, the club has been looking very closely at Rangnick’s development. He is no longer seen as a coach who only plays pressing and transitional football.
Another plus point for Rangnick: he knows many Bayern officials. He worked with sporting director Christoph Freund and head of youth development Jochen Sauer in Salzburg. Rangnick is also said to have a good relationship with sporting director Max Eberl.
