Thomas Tuchel is taking Bayern Munich’s struggles in stride. Despite being dropped into a burning cauldron at the season’s pivotal stage, the new manager is embracing his challenge and doing his best to instill positive vibes into the atmosphere at Säbener Straße.
“I don’t want to judge myself,” said the FC Bayern manager at a recent press conference (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “I found a team that loves to learn. They care about football. Everyone is ready to put their ego aside. I found a very professional club. There’s a good atmosphere in here.”
In other words, FC Hollywood it is not.
How much this is accurate is another matter entirely. In Tuchel’s short time in charge since Julian Nagelsmann’s March dismissal, Bayern have flailed out of the Champions League and DFB-Pokal while players have lobbied in the media for playing time. Relations with the bosses are reportedly frayed. And, well, in the next game after this very presser Bayern relinquished their lead on the Bundesliga, possibly for good, in a shambolic loss to Leipzig.
But sometimes a positive mentality must be willed into being, first by speaking it. The media circus, the drama, the transfers away of legends — these are all hallmarks of FC Bayern since time immemorial. So, too, is success. And so Tuchel lays out his vision for the future in no uncertain terms: put your head down, put the team first, and get to work.
It’s time for the Bavarians to focus on bouncing back from 2022/23.