David Alaba: Austria's Sportsman of the Year

David Alaba, Austria's "Sportsman of the Year" honored by the "Best Player in Europe" 

Muller: I Want to Win the Thing

At the end of 2013, Bayern have the chance to add a final golden touch to the most successful year in the club’s history: the treble winners contest the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco from 11 to 21 December. The build-up to the final footballing highlight of the year began on Wednesday at the Säbener Strasse facility with a Media Open Day for accredited reporters from all over the world, including the competition hosts and Japan. “Winning the Club World Cup would make our treble even more precious,” commented Thomas Müller, who took questions from the media representatives alongside head coach Pep Guardiola, club captain Philipp Lahm, and wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry. “And I want to win the thing!” Müller declared.

Squad full training session - Hoffenheim vs Bayern

There was good news of Dante early on Wednesday evening as the Brazilian trained with his team-mates for the first time since sustaining a deep gash to the foot in the league meeting with Mainz ten days ago. Prior to the full training session, Arjen Robben and Toni Kroos joined Thiago for individual routines. Robben and Kroos, both substituted in the first half-hour of last Saturday’s Bundesliga meeting with Hertha Berlin, focused on pace and stamina building exercise, with both players taking on a much greater physical load than in recent days. “It’s getting better every day, but we won’t be taking any risks,” reported Robben, who remains doubtful for the weekend trip to Hoffenheim. Thiago is also making good progress following ankle surgery at the end of August. The Spaniard put in a session of interval sprints.

Get Ready: Hoffenheim vs Bayern

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 11 Bundesliga

FC Bayern Munchen menentang 1899 Hoffenheim.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Sabtu 02.11.2013 - 09:30 malam

Yes Bayern !

Happy Diwali

We would like to wish all those who celebrate this festival a Happy Deepavali!

For everyone else we wish you all Happy Holidays.

-MyFCBayern-

Six Bayern Stars Nominated for the World Player of the Year

The footballing world has paid a huge compliment to Bayern and six of their stars with the nomination of Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger for the World Player of the Year award. The longlist of 23 candidates announced by FIFA on Tuesday includes half-a-dozen of the key figures from last season’s treble winners. The supremo who masterminded the historic campaign, Jupp Heynckes, is on the shortlist for Coach of the Year 2013.

Among the players, the shortlist of three will be announced in early December. The final vote is taken among the captains and coaches of the world’s men’s international teams, and a panel of international media representatives selected by leading magazine France Football. The winner of the vote will be announced on 13 January 2014 at the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala in Zurich Kongresshaus.

The last German player to win the prestigious award was Lothar Matthäus in 1991. Argentina and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has topped the vote for the last four years in a row. Bayern’s Franck Ribéry could be poised to interrupt that streak, as he was named UEFA Best Player in Europe in August ahead of Messi and rates as one of the top favourites for the World Player vote.

Six Bayern stars were initially nominated for the award in 2012, but only Manuel Neuer made it into the final 23.

World Player 2013 long list of 23:

Gareth Bale (Wales)
Edinson Cavani (Uruguay)
Radamel Falcao (Colombia)
Eden Hazard (Belgium)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden)
Andrés Iniesta (Spain)
Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Thomas Müller (Germany)
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Neymar (Brazil)
Mesut Özil (Germany)
Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
Franck Ribéry (France)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
Luis Suárez (Uruguay)
Thiago Silva (Brazil)
Yaya Touré (Cote d’Ivoire)
Robin Van Persie (Netherlands)
Xavi (Spain)

Martinez "Very Happy" after comeback

He gave his legs a last stretch, he pulled up his socks - and then Javi Martínez was back. The Spaniard came on as a 64th-minute sub in the home meeting with Hertha BSC. It was a moment he had been looking forward to for a long time. “I’m feeling good and it’s great to be back with the team,” told Javi. Javi has “almost forgotten” the long period in rehab, he insisted.

Martínez has been reduced to the role of spectator for almost two months. In early September, only four days after his vital late strike in the UEFA Supercup against Chelsea, he was forced to undergo groin surgery. He then started out on a gruelling and energy-sapping programme of sports rehabilitation. Now, the 25-year-old is finally back where he wants to be - out on the pitch.

Mia San Rot-Weiss

Arjen Roben !!

Ribery sets new Bundesliga record

Ribery sets new Bundesliga record - 39 consecutive Bundesliga games without losing. No other player has managed in 51 years of Bundesliga football.

Reaction to Bayern v Hertha Berlin:

Pep Guardiola: “That’s one of the best teams we’ve played so far. We weren’t very good today. In the coming week, we have time to regenerate and prepare for the trip to Hoffenheim. My players need the time. We’ve played a lot of matches in the last two months and they’re a little tired, as we all saw today.“

Philipp Lahm: “You could see we were weary, mentally as well as physically. But in this situation, the important thing is to take the three points. We’re looking forward to the normal week coming up now. It’s been a packed programme, especially for the internationals. We’ve changed a lot of things around, which requires plenty of concentration and alertness, but it gets to you. It’s good we can clear our heads now.“

Mario Götze: “Hertha aren’t where they are in the table for nothing, they were really dangerous. Relatively speaking, we let them have a lot of chances. It was tough going and we’re genuinely delighted about the three points. Playing 70 minutes was important for me. I’m not yet at 100 percent, but that’s normal.“

Franck Ribéry: “It was very difficult today. Hertha played extremely well and covered a huge amount of ground. We’ve had three home games in a week, and we’ve won all three - that’s superb!“

Injury summary – Comeback for Martínez

The medical unit at the club can hardly complain of underemployment at the moment. Last Thursday, Claudio Pizarrotore a muscle bundle in his right thigh and will be sidelined until late November or early December.

Xherdan Shaqiri suffered exactly the same injury while representing Switzerland two weeks ago and will be out of action for around the same length of time as Pizarro. A little earlier, in mid-November, Thiagocould be fit enough to resume squad training. The Spaniard ruptured syndesmosis ankle ligaments in late August and underwent surgery, but took the first tentative steps towards a comeback with a gentle jogging session last Thursday.

Dante has been out of contention for a week after sustaining a deep gash to his left ankle in last Saturday’s home meeting with Mainz. The injury was immediately stitched at the time, and he could yet be fit enough for next weekend’s league fixture. By contrast, Holger Badstuber (cruciate) still has a long way to go on the road to recovery.

On a positive note, Javi Martínez came on as a substitute in the 3-2 victory over Hertha, celebrating his return to the team two months after groin surgery.

kämpfen und Siegen

Bayern beat Hertha Berlin 3-2 on Saturday as the treble winners came from behind to win at home for the second Bundesliga match in a row, but the fourth-placed visitors made a real contest of it in an entertaining encounter at the Allianz Arena. The heroes for Pep Guardiola’s side were the two Marios, Mandzukic and Götze, the first-half substitutes who scored the goals to seal FCB’s eighth league win of term.

Bayern 3-2 Berlin

3 mata penuh bagi memastikan kedudukan takhta kekal milik Bayern Munchen. Juga masih mengekalkan rekod tanpa kalah untuk 35 perlawanan, dan cuma satu perlawanan sahaja lagi untuk menyamai rekod yg dipegang oleh Hamburg (36 perlawanan)

Bayern Aim to Shore Up Lead In Table

The hunt for records continues, and the next opportunity comes on Saturday when Bayern face Hertha BSC. By beating the recently promoted team from Germany's capital, the Reds could extend their unbeaten streak in the league to 35 matches and ratchet up the threat to current record holders Hamburg (36 matches). What’s more, it would keep the champions ahead of Dortmund and Leverkusen, who are both one point behind in second and third place.

However, Hertha cannot be underestimated. They are the “surprise of this year’s Bundesliga season,” as chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge noted. The Berlin team lie a creditable fourth in the table with 15 points after nine matches. “It has nothing to do with good fortune,” Rummenigge continued, “they’ve had a great start, the team is confident, and they play very refreshing football.”

Get Ready: Bayern vs Hertha

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 10 Bundesliga

FC Bayern Munchen menentang Hertha BSC di Alianz Arena.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Sabtu 26.10.2013 - 09:30 malam

MARTINEZ BACK IN TEAM TRAINING

Javi Martinez has returned to full training after a groin injury. Almost seven weeks after undergoing surgery, the 25-year-old participated in team training last Sunday, and came through the entire session unscathed.

Standing Ovation for Franck Ribéry

It’s not the first time the Allianz Arena crowd has awarded Franck Ribéry a standing ovation, nor that UEFA has named him Man of the Match. But just before midnight on Wednesday evening, no less a figure than Uli Hoeneß came up with the ultimate accolade, at least in German footballing terms. “What he does with the ball is like Rastelli sometimes,” enthused the Bayern president. if you know your Hoeneß, you will be aware there can be no higher praise.

“Franck was brimming with unbelievable enthusiasm today,” continued Hoeneß. The winger contributed two goals to FCB’s 5–0 victory over Viktoria Plzen and was practically unplayable for long spells. He sent over the most crosses (7) and set up the most shots at goal (7). “Franck is arguably the best player in the world at the moment,” declared Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, “if he keeps it up, he’ll be well on course to go into January’s FIFA [Ballon d’Or] vote in a very, very promising position. And I believe it’ll be a big target for him.”

At the present time, every Ribéry appearance emphatically restates his case for the top global honour. In his last seven matches for his club and country, the UEFA Best Player in Europe has been directly involved in at least one goal (5 goals, 6 assists). He has 14 scorer points (8 goals, 6 assists) from the last 11 matches since early September.

Great goals keep on coming

Bayern knocked the ball around with great composure after the restart and created regular chances, Schweinsteiger chipping just wide of the far post, Mandzukic turning the ball into the net but being flagged offside in the 58th minute, and Ribery making it three in the 61st minute with a brilliant twisting run past three defenders and a dinked finish.

Götze came on a couple of minutes later as Guardiola handed Lahm a well-earned rest, and the sub was at once wriggling into the box and teeing up Schweinsteiger to spin on a sixpence and lash a left-foot shot past Kozacik for the fourth goal.

Götze chipped against the top of the bar as FCB broke after Plzen’s first corner of the match, before the stadium rose to acclaim Ribery when he handed over to Müller in the 67th minute. Claudio Pizarro replaced Mandzukic for the last 20 minutes and immediately aimed a header too close to the keeper, before the match began to resemble a training ground exercise with the Czechs desperately practising their defending.

Fortunately for Vrba’s men, Müller and Götze twice shot wide and Kozacik saved well from Pizarro and Schweinsteiger, but before Mr Kelly blew for time on the one-sided encounter, Götze added a stoppage-time fifth with a skilful touch and finish from Robben’s raking pass.

Reaction Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos: “We did a good job very comfortably, but we don’t measure ourselves against the likes of Plzen. Out there on the field, we really enjoy keeping on going for goal even when we’re 3-0 up. Slowly but surely, we can plan for the last sixteen.”

Reaction to Bayern vs Viktoria Plzen

Uli Hoeneß: “Our team has been on an amazing roll in recent weeks – and today we saw a continuation of that.”

Pep Guardiola: “I’m pleased because we played well. We have nine points and we’re in a good position to make the next round. We can take a giant stride in Plzen two weeks from now.”

FT Result: Bayern Munchen 5:0 Viktoria Plzen

The 68,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw the home side stamp their authority on the match from the off and take an overdue 25th-minute lead through fit-again Franck Ribery’s penalty. David Alaba doubled the advantage eight minutes before half-time, and it would have been a lot more if not for a brave performance by visiting keeper Matus Kozacik. But Munich marched on after the break and excellent goals by the outstanding Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger made it four by the midpoint of the second half, with sub Mario Götze adding a terrific stoppage-time fifth to complete the rout.

Apa masalah wartawan kosmo ?

Dua hari berturut Kosmo melaporkan Bayern tewas 1-4 kepada Mainz. Ini laporan palsu. Apa masalah wartawan Kosmo menulis sedemikian ? Keputusan sebenar adalah sebaliknya.

Dimana credibility Kosmo ? Adakah Kosmo Surat khabar yang tidak beretika ? Sungguh memalukan. 

Get Ready

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 3 Champions League, peringkat kumpulan. 

FC Bayern Munchen menentang Viktoria Plzen di Alianz Arena.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Khamis 24.10.2013 - 02:45 pagi

Laporan Akhbar Kosmo Tidak Tepat

Kepada Pihak Editor Kosmo

Kami kesal dengan berita yang telah diterbitkan oleh Akhbar Kosmo pada hari Selasa 22 Oktober 2013 yang memaparkan laporan tidak tepat. 

Kosmo telah menulis the bavarians tumpas 1-4 kepada FSV Mainz. Seperti yang tertera pada gambar di atas. Keputusan yang sebenar adalah sebaliknya. Bayern Munchen 4-1 FSV Mainz.

Setiap maklumat yang dilaporkan kepada pembaca mestilah tepat. Sikap sambil lewa wartawan yang menulis harus diambil tindakan.

Kami, Kelab Peminat Bayern Munich Malaysia, membantah secara terbuka terhadap fakta yang diterbitkan di atas. 

Ten to 14-day lay-off for Dante

Another name appeared on the club’s injury roster after the meeting with Mainz. Shortly before the end of the first half, centre-back Dante sustained a deep cut to his left ankle in a challenge with Mainz midfielder Zdenek Pospech and gave way to David Alaba before half-time. Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt stitched the Brazilian’s wound during the interval, but the player will be sidelined for 10 to 14 days.

Solo training for Ribéry

A propos Ribéry: Monday was officially a day off for the FCB squad, but the France star is recovering from a minor injury and reported to the Säbener Strasse facility for a solo workout. Supervised by rehab coach Thomas Wilhelmi and fitness specialist Lorenzo Buenaventura, the UEFA Best Player in Europe worked on short sprints and pace from a standing start, including an exercise using elastic tension ropes. Ribéry turned an ankle in training last Friday and sat out the weekend meeting with Mainz. He remains doubtful for Wednesday’s Champions League fixture at home to Viktoria Plzen.

Quotes by Mark van Bommel and Hasan Salihamidžić

It’s always great to come home. I never broke off relations with Bayern and I never will. 

- Mark van Bommel and Hasan Salihamidžić

Go with Bayern Style !!

Update from Harimau Malaya, Lim Teong Kim would like to impose Bayern technical training for a long term program of Malaysian football development.

We are the 12th man

Number 12 on FCB Jersey is reserved for their supporters. 

Quotes from Franz Beckenbauer

Look at his (Philipp’s) outstanding performances at the moment in central defensive midfield for Bayern. And there’s his consistency too. I can’t think of a single other player who’s been as consistently good at the highest level over a period of years. Not a single one!

- Franz Beckenbauer

Götze the key figure

“I’m really pleased for him,” declared Guardiola, “we need someone between the lines capable of playing an intelligent final ball.” Müller joined in the chorus of praise: “After Mario came on, we were more inventive. He opened up gaps in attack and laid on goals. He might have been the key figure.“ Müller himself brought up the final score with his second goal, a penalty eight minutes from time.

“But it was hard work,” summarised Robben, although Bayern ultimately recorded a seventh victory of the campaign and ensured they stay top of the standings. “Fortunately, a game lasts 90 minutes,” reflected Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. FCB are back in action again on Wednesday, when Czech champions Viktoria Plzen visit the Allianz Arena. “They won’t be coming here just to hand us the victory,” warned Robben, “we’ll have to be up for it from the start.”

Ribery cedera: kemungkinan tidak beraksi menentang Viktoria Plzen

Franck Ribéry has sustained a minor injury and is rated doubtful for the midweek Champions League meeting with Viktoria Plzen. The European Player of the Year turned his right ankle and picked up a sprain in Bayern’s final pre-match training session prior to the weekend clash with Mainz 05. Ribéry sat out the Bundesliga fixture as a precaution. “It's nothing serious and I wanted to play, but the doc said it was too much of a risk,” reported Ribéry, who is still hopeful of featuring in Wednesday’s Allianz Arena contest against the Czech side.

Superb second half

Half-time sub Mario Götze provided the spark as Bayern showed huge character in a vastly-improved second-half display on Saturday, coming from behind for the first time this term to beat feisty Mainz and go back to the top of the Bundesliga. The Reds also extended their unbeaten league run to 34 games and posted a morale-boosting success prior to Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Viktoria Plzen.

Guardiola warned beforehand it would be a very tough match, and the customary 71,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena duly saw the least fluent half of football this season from the men in red, who lacked the precision to unpick the disciplined visiting defence. Worse still, Shawn Parker capitalised on a rare defensive error to hand Thomas Tuchel’s side the lead a minute before the break.

Whatever Guardiola said at half-time had the desired effect, as sub Mario Götze provided a sweet 50th-minute assist for Arjen Robben to equalise, before Thomas Müller turned the game on its head less than two minutes later. Mario Mandzukic made it safe with Bayern’s third goal 20 minutes from the end, with Müller adding a fourth from the spot in the 82nd minute.

In the standings, Bayer Leverkusen controversially took first place overnight, but Saturday’s win means Bayern return to the top of the table on 23 points from nine games, one ahead of Dortmund and Bayer. The Bavarians now entertain Czech contenders Viktoria in midweek, before tackling the third home game in a week next Saturday when Hertha Berlin visit Munich.

Jadual Perlawanan ke 9 Bundesliga

Senarai penuh jadual perlawanan ke 9 Bundesliga, dari 18 - 20 Oktober 2013.

Bayern prepared for a tough game

The stars were scattered around the globe earlier in the week, in Argentina, China and the Faroe Islands, but on Friday afternoon Pep Guardiola finally gathered his full first-team squad following the two-week international break. On Saturday, little over 24 hours later, Bayern return to Bundesliga action at home to Mainz. And despite the minimum in preparation time, FCB are determined to extract the maximum from the fixture, namely the three points which would guarantee staying top of the league.

However, it will be far from easy. “Mainz have had ten days to focus on the match, but we’ve held our first pre-match training session today,” Guardiola pointed out at Friday’s press conference. The two teams’ state of readiness for the game could hardly be more different, and the FCB coach issued an early warning: “I already know it’ll be a tough game tomorrow.”

Get ready

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 9 Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munchen menentang FSV Mainz 05 di Alianz Arena.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Sabtu 19.10.2013 - 21:30

The evolution of Thomas Müller embodies Bayern's journey to becoming Europe's best team

He doesn't look like he should be on the pitch, but Müller is a remarkably versatile, all-round attacker

Thomas Müller's rise to prominence has been beyond absurd. A little less than four years ago, he was a reserve player in Germany's third division - now, he's a dual Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal winner, a Champions League winner, and, most memorably, the 2010 World Cup Golden Boot, the tournament that properly announced his ascension into the game's outstanding players.

Still, Müller feels underappreciated. Bayern's ludicrous collection of talent is one reason, the likes of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben overshadowing the German's contribution. Yet, before Toni Kroos's long-term injury, Müller started ahead of Robben, illustrating his importance to the side, before shifting into the centre. Beside, Muller frequently scores and assists goals - 13 and 11 respectively last season, including a downright ridiculous goal from the by-line against Hamburg, widely agreed as one of the goals of the season.

It's classic Müller. The darting, untracked run inside, the awkward, gangling strides, and the bizarre, yet brilliant finish. Perhaps the most telling factor behind his under-appreciation is the fact he just doesn't look like a footballer - his lanky build and chicken legs betray the physique traditionally demanded of professional footballers, and he celebrates every goal like a park footballer taking the piss out of his fellow players. Müller doesn't even fit into traditional footballing stereotypes. He's not a driving wide forward, or an incisive playmaker, or a defensive winger - instead, he's a strange combination of all three.

Originally, Jurgen Klinsmann, Bayern coach in 2008, handed him a few sporadic debuts, before Louis Van Gaal took over. "With me, Müller will always play," declared the Dutchman, using him either upfront, off another striker or on the right - which is the position Joachim Low promptly started the youngster in the 2010 World Cup.

It was a calculated gamble: Müller was already clearly a fine attacker, but it was his defensive discipline and intelligent bursts of acceleration that was important. Low asked him to work up and down the line, tracking back diligently to form a second bank of four, before springing forward on the break with a directness that complemented Mesut Özil's subtle playmaking. Müller became Germany's most reliable source of goals, frequently converting counter-attacking opportunities, and finished the tournament as its official Best Young Player, as well as the Golden Boot.

Unsurprisingly, then, Jupp Hencykes used him on the right throughout the following season, where with some sporadic spells of unconvincing performance, he finally found some consistency, immediately becoming one of the key players in Hencykes's system. Having received an education in fluent attacking play under Van Gaal, the discipline and structure that Low and Hencykes demanded provided a neat balance - Müller evolved his attacking talent into a more complete, all-round game, his ferocious work ethic ideal for instituting the high pressing game that both his coaches demanded.

It's still difficult, however, to pinpoint exactly what Müller does. In many ways, that's his greatest strength - unpredictability. What would you tell a left-back about to face him in an upcoming fixture? You'd point out that he likes to drift inside, to become an extra playmaker between the lines, but you'd also have to pay attention to his ability to dart off the shoulder and make clever runs in behind. Müller's always moving.

With good work ethic, discipline and excellent technical ability, Müller was clearly an ideal Guardiola player - but it wasn't entirely clear what role he was going to play under the new coach. The right-wing seemed natural, but that would neglect a place for Robben, a player in outstanding form, so Guardiola gave Müller an odd roaming role. Nominally one of the more advanced central midfielders in the 4-3-3 midfield triangle, he popped up all over the pitch, revelling in the positional freedom of his role. However, it didn't quite work - perhaps because he was starting from a naturally deeper position, it was easier for opponents to track his movement, and the by-product of starting deeper was that his ability to make runs off the shoulder was diminished, again making him easier to mark.

If there have been two stages to Müller's development - the Van Gaal honing of his attack, and the steel and consistency Low/Hencykes instilled - then Wednesday night was perhaps the third. Guardiola deployed Müller upfront, as the axis of his 4-3-3 formation - but where it might be expected that he might become a false nine, Müller was a more typical striker, darting in and out between the centre-backs as well as working the channels manfully. His all-round performance was superb: he linked up play intelligently, dropped deep to allow the wide players forward (crucial in the build-up to the opening goal, as he drew Clichy inside and opened up room for Rafinha to find Ribery in space), but also provided the key striking threat, most notably for the second goal - again, classic Müller.

Granted, Gael Clichy's defending is horrid but the timing and sudden burst of Müller's run is delightful. Dante knows exactly where he's going to be, the touch to bring the chipped pass down is brilliant, and the finish is stupidly awkward. To cap it off, Müller celebrates with that odd, almost robot-like fist-pumping gesture. He might not look like a footballer, but he is one of Germany's best and most important players, an unorthodox mix of winger, playmaker and forward, and a thrilling embodiment of the evolution ofBayern Munich from the raw, naïve Van Gaal team to the refined, ruthless machine that is Europe's finest side.

Sweat and Toil at the Säbener Strasse

When Pep Guardiola gave his squad the day off on Thursday, he might have expected peace and quiet to descend on the Säbener Strasse training facility – but the coach hadn’t taken into account his players’ enthusiasm and passion for hard work. Rather than put their feet up, Mario Götze, Javi Martínez, Jan Kirchhoff, Diego Contento and Dante reported to fitness specialists Lorenzo Buenaventura and Andreas Kornmayer for a punishing session packed with sweat and toil. Elsewhere at the facility, Arjen Robben went for a long run, and the Performance Center was a busy place too, as a number of the stars worked out in the weights room and/or called in on the medical unit for treatment and physiotherapy.

FC Bayern Munchen vs FSV Mainz 05

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 9 Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munchen menentang FSV Mainz 05 di Alianz Arena.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Sabtu 19.10.2013 - 21:30

Pep Guardiola in the Bayern Magazin on…

…his early months as FCB coach:
“To me personally, it’s not all that important to be top of the table in October - although obviously, it’s always better to be in first place. What really counts at the moment is for us to develop our playing style. It’s an ongoing process, although we’ve already come a long way, as our performances against Manchester City and Leverkusen showed. Now we want to keep it up in the weeks to come. To be very honest, I’m a little surprised at how quickly the players have taken on board my ideas. I thought we’d need considerably more time - but we’ve already reached a very, very high level, obviously not in every match and not for 90 minutes at a stretch. But halfway through the first half of the season, my initial summary would be this: I’m satisfied with what we’re doing on the field of play.”

…the weeks and months to come: “I’m convinced we’ll be even better when all the players are fit. But we’ll only be in contention for trophies at the end of the season if every player in this magnificent squad accepts my decisions. If not, we’ll have problems. I’m my players’ best friend if they accept what I say. I support players who accept my decisions - but anyone who doesn’t understand that will often find himself watching from the stands. As I keep saying: we need every one of our players, which is why I’ll be happy when we have them all back. Obviously, we’ve been playing very, very well recently. But taking the season as a whole, it’s not good if Franck Ribéry or Philipp Lahm, for example, have to play 90 minutes every three days. The more players I have available, the better I can switch things around.“

…the reasons why he opted to come to Bayern:
A second after Bayern contacted me for the first time, I knew I had to do it. I didn’t want to miss the chance of working here with this great team, which the club has carefully pieced together over recent years. And if I hadn’t said yes at the time, I guess I wouldn’t have been asked again.”

…Philipp Lahm’s switch to a holding midfield role: “We’ve had a few injuries in this position, Javi Martínez and Thiago for example, and Bastian Schweinsteiger couldn’t play for a while. So I had to think of something to give us the required stability in front of defence. You’ll occasionally win games just because you have good strikers and good defenders, but consistent success is impossible unless you have excellent players in midfield. Philipp filled the holding role a couple of times in pre-season, and he did really well. In any case, he’s one of the most intelligent players in the world in my opinion, and I’m 100 percent certain he’d become one of the best in any position after a short settling-in period. Our recent good displays in Manchester and Leverkusen wouldn’t have been possible without Philipp. In normal circumstances, he’ll go back to his former position when the other players return. But it’s comforting to know I can field him in midfield as well.“

…the city of Munich: “Munich is completely different compared to New York (laughs), but I think the city is not dissimilar to Barcelona. You don’t have the sea and the beach, but it’s a very beautiful city. The most important thing to me is always that my family feel comfortable, especially my children, and they’re coming home happy and satisfied from school every evening. My wife is very pleased with life here as well. So I’m hoping I’ll be working for Bayern for a long time yet, so I can get to know the city and the region even better.”