- Title: Bayern's Kimmich, Germany's Flick keep quiet on Bayern's coach Nagelsmann future
- Date: 24th March 2023
- Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (MARCH 24, 2023) (REUTERS) PRESIDENT OF FC BAYERN MUNICH HERBERT HAINER DRIVING INTO GARAGE AT OFFICE OF BAYERN MUNICH PRESS VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF OFFICE OF BAYERN MUNICH (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN FAN UWE BUCKREOS SAYING: "What I am hoping for? I am disappointed. They can lose everything as far as I care. I'm a Bayern fan through and through. All the fans going to the stadium say that they pay a lot of euros in entrance fees and then something like this happens. But that's the bosses." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN FAN LOUIS HOLZINGER SAYING: "I'm still sceptical at the moment because Tuchel has a past at Dortmund and also a Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain past, with whom we didn't part on the best of terms. But well, he has a lot of experience and has already coached many stars successfully. So I can well imagine that it will also work at Bayern." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN FAN UWE BUCKREOS SAYING: "For one year, one and a half years. For me, Tuchel is a choleric person. If he loses two games, it's over." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN FAN STEPHAN SEIFERT SAYING: "For me it was very surprising. I didn't expect it at all. Just a few weeks ago, the board backed the coach. And when the news came to my mobile phone last night, I was very surprised and I personally wouldn't really have wanted Thomas Tuchel now." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN FAN MATTEO GUENTHER SAYING: "For me very, very surprising. I can't really understand it. I don't know what happened, it must have been something internal, because we are still well represented in all three competitions. We are in the quarter-finals of both the DFB Cup and the Champions League, I can't understand it." FRANKFURT, GERMANY (MARCH 24, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GERMAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL COACH HANSI ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL COACH HANSI FLICK SAYING: "Of course, we were very, very surprised about the headlines last night, but Bayern Munich has not commented on it yet and I think out of respect for Julian and FC Bayern Munich, I simply don't want to say anything about it now in this press conference, so that's all there is to it." VARIOUS OF BAYERN PLAYER JOSHUA KIMMICH ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN PLAYER JOSHUA KIMMICH SAYING: "Of course it is absolutely understandable that this is a hot topic now. On the other hand, there was no confirmation from the club and that's why I hope you understand that I can't and won't say much about it either."
- Embargoed: 7th April 2023 14:58
- Keywords: Bayern Munich Julian Nagelsmann Thomas Tuchel football soccer
- Location: MUNICH, FRANKFURT GERMANY
- City: MUNICH, FRANKFURT GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001994124032023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich and Germany coach Hansi Flick on Friday (March 24) refused to comment on widespread reports that the German champions had surprisingly parted ways with coach Julian Nagelsmann.
German media widely reported on Friday that Bayern had sacked Nagelsmann, who took over in 2021, and that he would be succeeded by former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel.
The club and Nagelsmann have not commented on the reports as club bosses were meeting in Munich.
"Of course, we were very, very surprised about the headlines last night, but Bayern Munich has not commented on it yet and I think out of respect for Julian and FC Bayern Munich, I simply don't want to say anything about it now," Flick told a news conference ahead of Germany's friendly international against Peru on Saturday.
Nagelsmann, who succeeded Flick at Bayern, had signed a five-year deal and as recently as earlier this week had the backing of the club board.
But Bayern have not been as dominant in the league as in the past 10 seasons when they won the league title, and are currently in second place, a point behind Borussia Dortmund whom they face on April 1.
Fans outside the office of Bayern Munich in Munich faced outrage and confusion about the decision.
"I am disappointed. They can lose everything as far as I care. I'm a Bayern fan through and through. All the fans going to the stadium say that they pay a lot of euros in entrance fees and then something like this happens," said Bayern fan Uwe Buckreos.
"For me it was very surprising. I didn't expect it at all," said another fan named Matteo Guenther.
Bayern will play Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 11.
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