FC Bayern!

[Boogahz]

That was fast...I didn't expect an announcement until closer to the summer break:

http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de/en/news/n ... /14731.php

Jürgen Klinsmann to succeed Hitzfeld at Bayern
11.01.2008

Former Germany boss Jürgen Klinsmann will succeed Ottmar Hitzfeld as Bayern head coach on 1 July 2008, the club announced on Friday.

The appointment sees Klinsmann return to the club where he won UEFA Cup and German championship honours in a two-year stint as a player between 1995 and 1997.

Hitzfeld: a first-class solution
The former world-class striker, a 1990 World Cup winner who captained his country to Euro 1996 glory and scored 47 goals in 108 international appearances, spent two years at the Germany helm and guided the host nation to third place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 43-year-old will now take on the challenge of leading Bayern to domestic and European success.

“Congratulations to Bayern Munich. This is a first-class solution. Jürgen Klinsmann is an outstanding coach and a tremendous man-motivator, who had an excellent World Cup with the national team,“ Hitzfeld commented at Bayern’s Säbener Strasse headquarters on Friday. “He also speaks English, French and Italian, and will be able to communicate well with the players.“

Positive reaction from dressing room
General manager Uli Hoeneß informed the squad of the board’s decision to appoint Klinsmann ahead of a scheduled morning training session. “This is an absolutely superb choice. We’re delighted Jürgen Klinsmann is to be our new coach,“ Germany striker Miroslav Klose declared. “I think it’s great the board have already come to a decision,“ added Willy Sagnol.

“We did very well under him with the national team,“ remarked Lukas Podolski. The new role will be Klinsmann’s first experience of coaching at club level, “but he did an extremely good job for Germany,“ Sagnol observed. “The Germany internationals know what kind of a guy he is, so we view this very positively,“ confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Already immersed in the club
As a player, Klinsmann set a club record with 15 goals in the 1996 UEFA Cup winning run and earned his championship winners’ medal the following season. “He knows his Bayern Munich,“ Hitzfeld commented. “I hope we have a couple of trophies to defend when he arrives,“ added Schweinsteiger.

I think it will be a great match, and I look forward to seeing what kind of success he can bring to a FC Bayern team that is poised on the edge of being great again. They are currently first in the Bundesliga, but they only lead by 5 goals with Werder Bremen ready to strike. They came out strong early in the fall schedule, but fell in to a goal scoring slump as they headed into the Winter break.

[Boogahz]

http://www.bundesliga.de/en/liga/news/2 ... .php&fla=1

Klinsmann's first day at Bayern
The Klinsmann era at FC Bayern has officially begun. The 43-year-old started work as head coach at Germany's most successful club on Monday.



Klinsmann talked fcbayern.de through the plan for his first working day, from his arrival at the Säbener Strasse, his first team meeting, and the busy schedule through to dinner.

Klinsmann's first day at Bayern:

08.30: Jürgen Klinsmann enters the new performance centre at the Säbener Strasse, setting up his locker and desk in the head coach's office before greeting his personal fitness coaches.

08.45: Klinsmann casts an eye over the training ground for the first time. With the help of his assistants, he runs through the exercises the team will be asked to perform that afternoon. "We'll be doing this quite often,” he tells fcbayern.de.

10.30: Klinsmann gives his first interview as Bayern head coach. He takes 20 minutes out to give FCB.tv a detailed account of his plans in Munich.

11.30: Klinsmann meets his team for the first time. Twelve of the 24 first-team professionals are present for the meeting on the new roof terrace, the rest are still on holiday. The new chief coach introduces himself and his coaching staff, and - over the occasional espresso - begins an informal conversation, telling them of his expectations for the future. After that Klinsmann gives his players a tour of the new performance centre.

12.00: Coaches and team enjoy lunch together; Klinsmann has invited the construction managers of the new performance centre to join the stars. "They've done a fantastic job,” the new boss says. "They've built us a new home in just six weeks.”

The part in bold would definitely gain my respect as a player.

[Canelek]

For some reason, I read that as 'Klansman'. That would be pretty fucked up!

[Boogahz]

From Milan to Munich

Massimo Oddo will sign terms with FC Bayern on Thursday, subject to passing a medical at the club.

Oddo comes from AC Milan on an initial one-year deal, with Bayern having the option to buy him subsequently.

"Top quality"

The 1.83-metre tall defender has played 34 times for Italy so far, and was part of the World Cup-winning squad at the 2006 finals in Germany. A year later, he won the Champions League with AC Milan.

Coach Jürgen Klinsmann admitted, "We've had our eye on him for some time. With Willy Sagnol and Hamit Altintop injured, we have now taken the opportunity to sign him. In view of his experience, his tactical ability and his technique, Massimo Oddo is a top-quality addition for FC Bayern."

Rummenigge happy

Oddo will take part in squad training on Monday, September 1st and will be available for selection from then on. "In the wake of Marcell Jansen's sudden departure for HSV, we clearly needed to get someone in to plug the gap", Karl-Heinz Rummenigge explained.

The FC Bayern CEO added, "We're delighted to have acquired such an experienced and successful defender as Massimo Oddo so quickly. Having another World Cup- and Champions League winner in our ranks will do us very well in the light of our upcoming commitments."

I am happy to see his addition to the Bayern defense. I've never been a fan of Jansen, and I just hope that Sagnol returns soon. He missed most of last year, and there were multiple rumors that he was leaving.

Bayern has been off to a "rocky" start, netting just two points in the first two games. Kahn will be difficult to replace in goal, but people seem to think that Rensing can do it. I would be less concerned if the draws were 0-0, but shots have been getting past him that shouldn't have.

On the attacking side of things, I am worried that Klose just doesn't show enough motivation to be a real playmaker. I had hoped that he would come out banging in the first couple games while Luca Toni was out, but he has been virtually invisible. This time last year, he was showing that he could be the go-to man regularly, but he willingly stepped aside to allow Toni to be that person. In doing so, he seems to be slipping out of view more and more often. I would not be shocked to see Podolski slipping into the starting eleven more often since he has been extremely active even before the Euro 2008.