Gareth Messenger

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It’s been quite an unusual road to the Bundesliga’s top job for Hansi Flick, and at the start of this season, he’d probably never even imagined he would be in the position he is in now, despite all the uncertainty surrounding his predecessor.

After all, Flick only joined Bayern in July 2019 as an assistant to Nico Kovac. However, when Kovac left the club in November, Flick maybe thought his time was coming to a premature end too. 

Despite, being given the position of an interim manager on the day of Kovac’s departure, rumours were circling about possible long-term replacements with bigger reputations. Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino, Massimiliano Allegri and even Jose Mourinho were linked with moves to the Allianz Arena, and up until last month, various names have continued to be touted for the job. 

Yet Flick has shown a much-needed calm at Bayern, at a time when calm was in short supply. Bayern were in freefall. They had just lost 5-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

For the fans, it was the "Kovac Out" moment that they had long been pining for. So sudden was Bayern’s cataclysmic collapse, that Kovac left just 33 days after the Bavarians humiliated Tottenham 7-2 in the UEFA Champions League. 

Those same fans who wanted Kovac out, had hoped for a bigger name as Bayern head coach when he was initially appointed, and many felt he was not up to the task of managing a club of such stature. So, it’s even more impressive at the turnaround low-profile Flick has installed around the club.

Even though he has history at Bayern – he played 139 games between 1985 and 1990 – he still lacked the pulling power the fans sought. 

Yet this is a coach with history at some big institutions. He was Hoffenheim boss between 2000 and 2005 winning nearly 45% of his 196 matches. He then worked as an assistant and sporting coordinator at Salzburg before joining Joachim Low as part of Germany’s national team coaching set up.

He was named the assistant coach for Germany on 23 August 2006. Although not listed as an officially recognized manager by the German FA, due to the sending off of Low in the previous game, Flick was technically the German manager for the UEFA Euro 2008 quarter-final against Portugal on 19 June 2008, which ended in a 3–2 win for Germany.

After finishing second at the Euro 2008 and third at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he reached the semi-finals at Euro 2012 and won the 2014 World Cup as assistant coach of Germany. He then became the sporting director at the German Football Association after the 2014 World Cup until 16 January 2017.

Then, after two years of silence, Flick returned to Bayern, 29 years after leaving the club as a player. Appointed as an assistant to Kovac, Flick said: “When they asked me, I didn't have to think too long about it. Bayern Munich is a club that is close to my heart, a top destination.” 

A club close to his heart that he has managed to change the fortunes of the club. His side has won 18 of his 21 matches in charge, losing just one along the way. Bayern also has one foot in the next stage of the Champions League after a crushing win over Chelsea in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Such has been Flick’s impact on players lacking confidence and a frustrated fanbase, the club has rewarded him. Last month, the club gave Flick a permanent contract through to 2023.