Why Hansi Flick might leave Bayern at the end of the season

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Hansi Flick could leave his position as head coach of Bayern at the end of the current season, according to German outlet Sport Bild.

Bayern are currently riding high at the top of the Bundesliga and are coming off a historic treble winning season in 2019/20 in which they won the league, the DFB-Pokal, and the Champions League.

However, Bayern’s performance on the pitch might not be a factor come the end of the season for Flick, who may choose to step down.

The main reason that Flick might decide to leave his current post is that his confidant and trusted link to the board, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, will be retiring from his role as chairman of the executive board at the conclusion of the 2020/21 campaign.

Rummenigge is set to be replaced as CEO by former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who does have a high opinion of Flick, previously telling Bild in December:

“Hansi Flick has a long-term contract. I don’t even know whether Hansi even wants that,” he said, with regards to Flick potentially moving on to pastures new.

“He is breaking one record after the other and is very satisfied. Hansi is not finished with the development of the team here.

“What particularly fascinates me: the team’s discipline to show these performances in front of empty stadiums.

“The way the team has dealt with it so far is fantastic. I don’t know how I would have managed it. Fans were the icing on the cake for me.”

There is not believed to be a bad relationship between Kahn and Flick, but it is not one to the level of Flick-Rummenigge yet.

The pastures new that Kahn was referring to was the job as head coach of Germany, which is another factor which could come into play in any decision from Flick to leave.

The 55-year-old holds contacts at the DFB, who have reportedly sounded him out to take over as boss of the national team if performances don’t improve, and are considering bringing him in as a replacement for Joachim Low after Euro 2020.

One man who Flick does have a salty relationship with at the moment is sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.

In the summer, Bayern bought Leroy Sane, Marc Roca, and Bouna Sarr and brought in Douglas Costa on loan from Juventus, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting arrived on a free transfer from PSG.

Flick is apparently not happy with the business conducted in the transfer window, as well as the performances of the players who have arrived.

Salihamidzic, conversely, believes it is the job of the head coach to work with and improve the players he is given.

Flick’s current deal runs out in 2023, but he is prepared to walk away if there isn’t a harmonious working environment in place.