Bayern Munich Sack Jurgen Klinsmann
Bayern sack their manager with just 5 games remaining
Apr 28, 2009
The decision was made by chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Uli Hoeness following an inconsistent season that will see Bayern struggle to retain their Bundesliga crown.
The defending champions have five games left to play and are currently three points off the lead in third place.
Reasons for Klinsmann's sacking
In a press conference following Klinsmann's departure, sporting director Uli Hoeness confirmed the manager was sacked amid "fears the club would fail to reach its minimum target" which was believed to be qualification for next season's Champions League.
The final straw appeared to be the 1-0 home defeat to Schalke that has left Bayern in a cluster of 5 teams vying for the title, who are all separated by just 3 points.
It could have been worse for Bayern though as league leaders Wolfsburg blew the chance to pull 6 points clear of them after losing to relegation threatened Energie Cottbus.
Klinsmann's Record
While Jurgen Klinsmann's record as Bayern Munich manager was far from terrible, it was some way short of the Bavarian giants' standards.
Under his reign, Bayern made their worst ever start to a Bundesliga season winning just 2 of their first 7 games. Among that opening stretch was a humiliating 5-2 defeat at home to rivals Werder Bremen.
Although results picked up towards the winter break (including a ten match unbeaten run), 2009 started similarly shaky with just a solitary win from their first 5 games. That was compounded by a domestic cup quarter final exit to Leverkusen - another of Bayern's traditional rivals. It was in the big games where Bayern really struggled under Klinsmann's leadership though.
Coming into an important week with a league game at table toppers Wolfsburg and a Champions League quarter final in Barcelona, Bayern needed two good performances to keep the hope of silverware alive.
Instead they capitulated and were thumped 5-1 by Wolfsburg and given a 4-0 hiding by a rampant Barcelona.
It was results like that which ultimately saw the club lose faith in Klinsmann. All in all, Bayern lost seven league games under his reign (3 of those on their own patch) and had not topped the table at any point during the season - unthinkable for a club of Bayern's stature.
Bayern Munich's New Manager
Straight after Klinsmann's sacking, Bayern Munich chiefs Uli Hoeness and Karl Heinz Rummenigge announced that Jupp Heynckes would take charge till the end of the season, with Hermann Gerland assisting him.
Although Heynckes is only temporarily in charge, his chances of taking over on a permanent basis would be dramatically increased if he could lead them to an unlikely title with just five games remaining.
The media will certainly start to speculate as to who next season's boss will be, but for now, Rummenigge and Hoeness remain tight lipped.
