Nathaniel Brown is apparently still getting used to his new role at FC Bayern. The 23-year-old transferred from Eintracht Frankfurt to Munich this summer for around 50 million euros and was expected to expand the team’s options on the left side. So far, however, he has not secured a regular spot in the starting lineup.
Coach Vincent Kompany has been using Brown quite flexibly. Instead of playing exclusively in his usual position on the left wing, the German national team player has even been deployed as a playmaker at times. Recently, however, he’s had to settle for a spot on the bench.
For Felix Magath, this situation comes as no great surprise. The former Bayern coach sees the fierce competition at the record-holding champions as the main reason Brown is still searching for his ideal role.
Magath: Brown “needs to be more flexible”
In an interview with Tribuna, Magath specifically pointed to Alphonso Davies, who currently has the edge in Brown’s preferred position.
“Nathaniel Brown played left back in Frankfurt and on the national team, and he came to FC Bayern with that profile,” explained the 73-year-old.
In Munich, however, the demands on Brown are now different: “At Bayern, he’ll obviously have to be more flexible, because right now Davies is Kompany’s first choice for that position.”
This very flexibility was already evident in the first few weeks of the season. Kompany not only tested Brown on the left side but also, surprisingly, deployed him in a significantly more offensive role. In doing so, the Bayern coach is apparently trying to create additional opportunities for the summer signing.
“He has to find his place and his role”
From Magath’s perspective, the fact that Brown hasn’t immediately become an undisputed starter shouldn’t be overemphasized. After all, the competition in Munich is significantly fiercer than at many other clubs.
“It’s never easy for a new player to join a team that has been so successful in the past. He has to find his place and his role in a team that’s packed with very good players in nearly every position,” Magath emphasized.
Brown thus finds himself in a situation typical for new Bayern signings. While he was a fixture on the left side in Frankfurt, in Munich he must hold his own against top international players while simultaneously adapting to new positions.
Therefore, it’s still too early to say his start has been a complete failure. However, Magath’s analysis makes it clear what will likely be crucial for Brown in the coming months: If he wants to play regularly, he’ll probably have to prove his versatility—because it’s currently very difficult to get past Davies on the left side.