Failed with Bayern: is Thomas Tuchel a good coach?

But worst of all were the offended people who only spoke about ‘us’ after victories and punished us players after defeats for two days with silence, contempt and pointless extra running training until we almost threw up. And then there were the lazy people who left quickly after practice so they could get to the golf course on time.

The pedant and the clever man

Okay, I’m talking about the eighties and nineties here, way too long ago. Since then, many positive things have happened in the trainer training. But there are still different types of trainers. Pep Guardiola, master of structure, order and fine-tuning, who assigns clear roles to his players, but still lets them play with pleasure. An inventor, a pedant – you couldn’t be more passionate about football. Guardiola’s unstoppable hunger for success is contagious, his collection of titles is impressive, his drive for perfection is impressive.

And Jürgen Klopp, the man-catcher who, like no other, knows how to turn the fans, indeed an entire region, into the twelfth man. He electrifies the entire stadium with his emotions. He drives his players, makes them enthusiastic, makes them storm, caresses them, talks to them, stands behind them, regardless of whether they have won or lost. The players would go through fire for him, the fans anyway. Klopp is exciting and authentic. And besides, he is the man with the whitest teeth in the world – a radiant man.

And there is Tuchel, the offended grumbler. Who takes everything personally and does not tolerate criticism. Who dismantles the players who don’t suit him. Those who take themselves too seriously were also evident on Saturday during the match in Leipzig, when Tuchel defiantly sat down on an aluminum box, away from the team bench. Probably to demonstratively tell everyone that after the announced divorce at the end of the season, he no longer wants to be part of Bayern, that from now on he will only take care of himself and that he has already packed his bags because he was wronged once is affected. again. Tuchel, the misunderstood man who likes to be ironic when he finds a journalist’s question offensive. Even loyal Bayern fans in my fellow circle are happy that he will be gone soon.

Empathy and social skills

Of course: it’s unfair to judge people you don’t know personally. I’m just guessing based on observation, and I may be wrong. Yet today, only coaches who are empathetic and have a high level of social skills in addition to their tactical genius can achieve long-term success at the top level.

You need someone to look up to, who takes the players seriously, involves them, responds to everyone individually and can also admit mistakes. Just as Carlo Ancelotti is, as Köbi Kuhn was, as Xabi Alonso can become.

I understand if the players don’t want to go a step further for Tuchel. But that probably also has to do with the state of the Bayern professionals themselves, who clearly have too much power in the club, who are perhaps too fed up and too spoiled. Tuchel is not the first coach to fail in Munich. Ancelotti and Guardiola also failed to live up to the high expectations.

For everything to fit together, luck also has to play a role, the club chemistry has to be right – and many more factors. Ultimately, the results, success and number of titles won determine whether a coach is good or not. Bayern is threatened with a titleless season.