Sammer wants immediate success for Bayern Munich

By foxsports
Published

Bayern Munich sporting director Mattias Sammer is determined to quickly re-establish the club as Germany's dominant force following recent disappointments.

Sammer was presented as the replacement for the fired Christian Nerlinger on Tuesday, when the 44-year-old said there were no excuses for Bayern to go a third successive year without a title.

''Self-pity or vanity cannot play a role,'' Sammer said.

Bayern lost the cup final and finished runner-up in the league to Borussia Dortmund, while it also lost the Champions League final, in Munich, to Chelsea.

''With the first team we don't have any time at all. We want to be, must be and will be successful straight away,'' said Sammer, who left his position as director of youth development with the German football federation for a three-year deal with Bayern.

As a Dortmund player, Sammer helped lead the side to two Bundesliga titles and the 1997 Champions League title, before coaching the club to another Bundesliga title in 2002.

He's expected to help Bayern reassert superiority over his former side, and has been handed responsibility for the club's signings, coaching arrangements, scouting and player development.

''When Bayern call, it's something special,'' Sammer said.

He denied that his Dortmund roots would have any bearing on his work.

''That's in the past," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Sammer observed Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes' first training session after the summer break, when five of six new signings were among 12 first-team players to take part.

Former Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandzukic is still on holiday after his involvement in the European Championship for Croatia, as are Bayern's eight Germany players, France's Franck Ribery and Dutch winger Arjen Robben.

But around 500 fans got a glimpse of new signings Xherdan Shaqiri from FC Basel, Brazilian defender Dante from Borussia Moenchengladbach, replacement goalkeeper Tom Starke from Hoffenheim, prospect signing Mitchell Weiser from Cologne and Peru striker Claudio Pizarro, who returns after a second spell at Werder Bremen.

Heynckes has just under six weeks to prepare for the German Supercup in Munich on Aug. 12 - against Dortmund - with a cup game against promoted second-division side Jahn Regensburg a week later. Bayern's first league game is at promoted Bavarian side Greuther Fuerth on Aug. 25 or 26.