Emmanuel Thomas, with reports from DPA
MUNICH -Julian Nagelsmann’s management team told broadcasters Sky Sport that Bayern Munich didn’t try to contact him before the information about his dismissal was leaked to the media.
“Nagelsmann management itself called (sporting director) Hasan Salihamidzic after several rumours in the media,” Sports 360 told Sky on Saturday evening.
The statement came after Salihamidzic said that the club tried several times to reach Nagelsmann once Thomas Tuchel accepted to take the job.
Bayern dismissed Nagelsmann a week after a 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on March 19 and following inconsistent results which saw them drop to second in the league ahead of the international break.
However, reports that he was set to be fired came up a day before.
Bayern chief Oliver Kahn had said ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga table-topper against Borussia Dortmund that the course of events was ultimately “a disaster” but that due to the fact the information was leaked to the media.
“That was certainly not someone from the club. We’re not shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said.
Kahn added that they didn’t want to inform Nagelsmann, “who was still on holiday,” about his dismissal over the phone. “A personal conversation was necessary.”
“It was clear from the start that the first one that should have been informed was Nagelsmann. And that’s what we did even after the leak,” Kahn said.
Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeneß criticized Nagelsmann, saying he “should not have gone on a skiing holiday” after the defeat in Leverkusen.
“If he had stayed in Munich, they would have met him and spoken to him Monday or Tuesday. And who knows what would have happened then?” he told the Kicker sports magazine on Sunday.
Hoeneß added that he was “pretty sure” the club bosses didn’t know Nagelsmann was away on holidays at that time.
“A head coach doesn’t need to ask for a holiday,” he said.
Bayern have regained their position at the top of the Bundesliga after a 4-2 win in Tuchel’s debut against now second-placed Dortmund.
