Nagelsmann on FCB dismissal: "Coaches at Bayern aren't given much time to build something."
In addition to speaking on the return of Toni Kroos to the national team and his plans to re-deploy Joshua Kimmich at the right fullback position, Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann took some stabs at his former club employer in this week's interview published in "der Spiegel".
Whilst conducting his interview with Germany's leading national news magazine this week, Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann spoke on more than some personnel matters relevant to the German national team. The 36-year-old opened up somewhat on the career of his father; a federal German intelligence officer in the country's the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) who ultimately committed suicide.
The topic of his father's actual work in the German equivalent of the CIA wasn't something Nagelsmann was prepared to delve too deeply into. Admitting that he didn't exactly know what sort of work his father was engaged in, the Bundestrainer also noted that he "wasn't permitted to say much more". When it came to the topic of his former club employer, on the other hands, the former FC Bayern München coach let his opinions be known.
"I was hired by Bayern with the mandate to change things," Nagelsmann said, "There are clubs that give you time. Jürgen Klopp worked at Liverpool for five years before he won the league. Pep Guardiola only won the Champions League title with Manchester City after seven years. Coaches at FC Bayern München aren't given as much time to build something."
Speaking on his early dismissal from Bayern, Nagelsmann emphasized that much of what had been discussed in the press regarding the situation had "little to do with reality". To take an example, the Bundestrainer denied that one of the reasons leading to his dismissal concerned the fact that he opted to take a skiing holiday immediately after a troublesome league defeat to Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
"That's inaccurate," Nagelsmann said, "I was in the office at the training ground on Säbener Straße from Monday to Wednesday as normal. I was the only one there, by the way. No one else was. I then went on a short vacation from Wednesday lunchtime until Friday morning. That was also approved."
Nagelsmann returned from his brief retreat to find himself sacked in favor of Thomas Tuchel. While not necessarily sounding bitter about the cruel twist-of-fate, the Bundestrainer did let it be known that he had to contend with some tough life lessons when what he thought was a rock solid relationship with his employers came to an unexpected end.
"I had a good rapport with Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic," Nagelsmann noted, "We had discussed how we would handle things together should a worse-case-scenario occur. But then everything changed. Things aren't always very nice in football. It's made me more cautious and attentive."