Hoeness returns as Bayern Munich president, declares RB Leipzig a 'new enemy'
Philipp Lahm has been outspoken about Bayern Munich’s form, or lack of it, at times this season. He has said he respects coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to substitute him off while his expression tells another story. The Bayern captain made history in Saturday’s lackluster 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen, equaling the total of Franz Beckenbauer’s 235 Bundesliga games for Bayern. And it may be that Lahm, who has 18 months left on his contract, quits a year ahead of time and becomes the club’s sporting director, a position vacant since Matthias Sammer left this summer for health reasons.
It would be a typical Bayern move to keep a club legend in the management structure; and one that was reinforced when, on Friday, Uli Hoeness was re-elected club president after an 18-month spell in prison for tax evasion. Hoeness wasted no time in speaking his mind: declaring RB Leipzig, still top of the Bundesliga (and Bayern's opponent in two weeks), “a new enemy” and advising Bastian Schweinsteiger to see out his contract at Manchester United and then move to MLS.
Last week Bayern extended the contract of Franck Ribery and hopes to do the same with other players whose deals expire at the end of this season, like Holger Badstuber, Arjen Robben and Xabi Alonso. The latter, in particular, has the makings of a great coach in him, and it will be interesting to see if Bayern offers him opportunities away from the pitch as part of his next deal.