FC Bayern made a sporting statement with the spectacular 4:3 comeback in Mainz – but off the pitch, a remarkable statement by Max Eberl is causing a stir. The sporting director gave a rare insight into his emotional world in the ZDF Sportstudio and hinted that he would have liked more support within the club in critical phases
Since taking office in March 2024, Eberl has been under particular scrutiny at the German record champions, with the complicated coaching search last summer in particular earning him criticism early on. „I came to Munich and immediately had a stamp of approval with the coaching search. I was looked at very critically after the coaching search perhaps didn’t go entirely smoothly,“ explained the 52-year-old in an interview with presenter Sven Voss
The situation at the time was complex: after Thomas Tuchel’s departure, Bayern received several rejections from preferred candidates such as Xabi Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann, Oliver Glasner and Ralf Rangnick. Eberl only found a solution with Vincent Kompany – a decision that, in retrospect, proved to be a stroke of luck
Eberl speaks openly about lack of support
Despite sporting success, criticism of Eberl’s transfer policy persisted. The 2024 transfer summer in particular was the subject of intense debate. „I had the last transfer summer where it was said: If the transfers don’t go right, Eberl wobbles. I was already under the magnifying glass. You would have liked a bit of protection at one point or another,“ said the Bayern boss
Eberl left open who exactly he was referring to, but the statements raise questions. Is this criticism directed at the operational management around CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen or even at the influential figures on the supervisory board such as Uli Hoeneß, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Herbert Hainer?
According to information from BILD, the relationship of trust between Eberl and parts of the club’s management is not unrestricted anyway, with internal criticism that the sporting director sometimes coordinated important decisions with the supervisory board too late
Tensions at management level remain an issue
Uli Hoeneß, in particular, had publicly criticized this in the past: „It would also be good for Max if he finally understood that this is something that needs to be spread over several shoulders. I think he has his problems with that,“ explained the honorary president on „Doppelpass“
Internal differences are also said to have arisen during transfer negotiations, with Eberl alleged to have reached agreements too early in some sales. In the case of Kingsley Coman, CEO Dreesen intervened once again and negotiated a higher transfer fee
There is another point that is viewed critically internally: the handling of conflicts. While Hoeneß and Rummenigge stood for tough but constructive discussions for decades, Eberl is said to be more sensitive, according to BILD. Hoeneß put it clearly: „Karl-Heinz and I used to argue like broom bats. But when the door closed behind us, it was okay again. Max is quite sensitive about that.“
Eberl himself is reflective despite the challenges. „I know how big Bayern is and I know what you have to deal with. That’s what you have to learn. I’ve learned my job, but you can’t prepare for Bayern Munich,“ he emphasized
At the same time, he made it clear what is important to him: „I want to do my job, that’s what I’m paid for. I’m not an everybody’s darling who wants to be in the sun, I want to do a good job.“
Together with sporting director Christoph Freund, Eberl was responsible for notable transfers such as Michael Olise, Luis Díaz and Jonathan Tah and extended key contracts with key players such as Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies
Nevertheless, his future remains open. His contract runs until 2027 – whether it continues beyond that will probably also depend on how the relationship with the Bayern management develops in the coming months.