According to a report from Sport1, one of Bayern Munich’s primary reasons for sacking Julian Nagelsmann could have been inability to get better performances from some of the key transfers over the past few years:
The Bayern bosses are very likely hoping that Tuchel will get more out of some players, especially problem children like Sadio Mané and Leroy Sané, by putting them in roles that are optimal for their profiles.
Göz AtınAny number games in the tactical formations are of secondary importance for Tuchel — he has played everything from 3-4-3 to 4-1-4-1 in his career and also bases his choice of staggering on his strengths and weaknesses of his players.
We have heard roughly a dozen reasons (some real, some speculative) on why Bayern Munich fired Nagelsmann, but if it truly came down to not being able to draw the most from players like Mané and Sané, it would be disappointing in some respects.
Sané has been magnificent at times, but has been prone to slumps and what looks to be bouts with his own confidence. As for Mané, he had a significant injury just before the World Cup break, has been prone to a lack of focus when attacking, which has resulted in a staggering amount of offside calls. The acquisition of the Senegalese attacker could also be called into question for how he would fit into the framework of what Bayern Munich was trying to do (did the team really need him?). Some would argue that he has been more disruptive (on the pitch) than flexible in trying to make it work.
Under Nagelsmann, both players might have been looking at spending most of the rest of the season on the bench as well, as Nagelsmann seemed to settle into a 3-4-2-1. Tuchel is as tactically flexible as Nagelsmann, but for those vocal parts of the fanbase who were reveling in Thomas Müller’s resurgence, there could be a return to the bench on the horizon for the Raumdeuter. Sané and Mané’s potential playing time would comes at the expense of two other players.
Regardless, if Tuchel cannot draw more consistently high performances from this group of players, he might want to keep his own resume fresh. At some point, though, players have to perform and be held accountable for both the good and the bad.