Bayern Munich bosses and the manager look to be at loggerheads - is there only one outcome here?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Bayern Munich may well be unbeaten at the start of the 2023/24 season, but behind the scenes tensions are simmering between Thomas Tuchel and the club's hierarchy.
Despite signing Harry Kane in a club-record deal, Tuchel bemoaned Bayern Munich's lack of a defensive midfielder. The German boss wanted Declan Rice before he moved to Arsenal, then a £55m deal for Fulham's Joao Palhinha collapsed on deadline day due to a failed medical.
Now, honorary club president Uli Hoeness has hit back at the manager, criticising him for placing his demands in the public domain, available to be scrutinised by both the media and fans.
Honorary Bayern president Uli Hoeness (Image credit: Getty Images)
"Those statements are a feast for the media, especially the tabloids," Hoeness told NTV.
"Some, including the coach, made unwise statements, because I shouldn't make my own team look bad by saying our squad is too thin. We don't have a thin squad.
"If we feel that we need additions by January, we will make signings." Hoeness added. "We can't always just make sure that we live in the here and now, but that this club should be healthy for the next 10 years."
This isn't the first instance of a lack of harmony between Tuchel and the Bayern Munich board, however. After beating Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 in September, Tuchel highlighted how he didn't have enough players to choose from.
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Tuchel wanted more than just Kane in the summer (Image credit: Getty Images)
"The squad is a bit thin, a bit small. We have six trained defensive players for a four-man chain, which is perfect."
This, though, didn't go down well with Bayern chiefs, according to BILD. The report suggested that they were growing tired of Tuchel's continued negativity, and called a secret meeting to warn him of his conduct.
The former Chelsea manager only joined Bayern Munich in March, replacing Julian Nagelsmann at the helm. Just months later, though, it looks like he's fighting for his job - even after securing yet another Bundesliga title for the German giants.
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
