Oliver Kahn on life as a Bayern Munich executive

Oliver Kahn has heard the rumors.

The Bayern Munich CEO has born the brunt of public fury after the club’s struggles in the past month and has endured rampant speculation over his job status — including watching a steady parade of possible successors floated in the media.

Meanwhile, the club has remained noncomittal. But Kahn isn’t too bothered.

“I can understand [FC Bayern president] Herbert Hainer when he says we want to focus on the title now,” Kahn said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “I’ve said the same thing. Everything else will be discussed afterwards.”

The title race may be the focus in the short term, but as CEO, Kahn has plenty more on his plate — all of which feeds back into the team’s competitive efforts.

“We’re going to announce a record turnover this year. That’s the most important basis for sporting success. We recently extended the contracts with Telekom and Allianz. We’re preparing many things for the future, including the infrastructure,” Kahn continued. “There’ll be a new training centre soon. We have to improve on that. We want to be attractive for world class players. We have a new partner in the US, a new office in Bangkok. We’re taking FC Bayern forward.

“We’re going through a process of change. FC Bayern has to face big challenges in the future. A colleague in the ECA told me recently: the past decade was for tradition clubs, the next decade will be for investor clubs. In this season’s CL semifinals, for example, three of the 4 clubs represented are investor clubs. We have to have answers for that. We’ve already done a few things in that direction.”

Uli Hoeness in intense conversation with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich training.

It’s not going to be easy for the club that former president Uli Hoeneß built. Fortunately for the Bavarians, Uli never really left — as he still sits on the supervisory board. Though, Kahn cautioned, that doesn’t mean his involvement is all it’s touted to be sometimes.

“Uli Hoeneß is always here. It’s always been the case. He also goes to the dressing room. His gesture on the training ground [when he spoke to Thomas Tuchel, as captured by photographers] was over interpreted,” Kahn said. Still: “Everyone knows how valuable Uli Hoeneß’ advice is. Of course we talk to each other.”

Such is life in the boss’s chair at FC Bayern.