Bayern Munich have long dominated the Bundesliga but that has changed this season with the Bavarians trailing Bayer Leverkusen in the race for the Bundesliga title. After struggling to reach the summit this campaign, manager Thomas Tuchel will depart at the end of the season and so the search is already underway for his successor.
With Harry Kane up front and a host of other star names making up the starting XI, the right manager will have Bayern fit and firing again in first place. As it stands, online sports betting platforms are tipping Xabi Alonso to be the next boss while Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho are also being linked to the role.
This article will assess the names in the frame to take one of the biggest and most demanding jobs in world football.
Xabi Alonso
The Spaniard made more than 100 appearances for Bayern during his playing days and is now considered one of the top young coaches in Europe. It’s his Leverkusen side who lead the way in the Bundesliga having not lost a single game all season.
Knowing the club well having spent three years in Munich, Alonso has been tipped as the ideal figure to lead Bayern into a new era. Lauded for his style and rejuvenating Leverkusen, having a young forward-thinking manager who commands respect would no doubt please fans and players alike.
Zinedine Zidane
The iconic Frenchman hasn’t managed since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 but has recently revealed he is ready to return to the dugout. That should alert Bayern as Zidane lifted league titles and the Champions League trophy on three occasions during his time at the Bernabeu.
A stellar name in football, his standing in the game and previous successes make him a prime candidate befitting of the Bayern job.
Jose Mourinho
One of the most successful managers in world football throughout the 21st century – having won silverware with Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter and Manchester United – Mourinho’s managerial career has become slightly nomadic and he is again looking for his next role after leaving Roma in early 2024.
The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ is a serial winner and so has the exact mentality of a Bayern Munich manager, with the Bavarians expected to win every game they play and every tournament they compete in.
Mourinho may view Germany as the next move to make, having already enjoyed trophy-laden spells in England, Spain, Italy and his homeland of Portugal.
Jurgen Klopp
The Liverpool manager will leave Anfield at the end of the season after admitting he has been running out of energy in the Reds hotseat. However, could the pull of the biggest job in German football entice him into a swift return after a summer break?
Klopp is perhaps the least likely to take the Bayern role at this juncture but the feeling among football fans is they could certainly picture him taking charge at the Allianz Arena or managing the German national team one day in the future.
Sebastian Hoeness
If Bayern are looking for a manager who knows the Bundesliga and what coaching the club takes, Hoeness could be an option.
Hoeness led Bayern’s reserve team to their first 3. Liga title in 2020, winning the Manager of the Season award. From there, he moved to Hoffenheim and is the current Stuttgart manager. Since taking charge of the Reds he boasts a win percentage of more than 63 per cent. With the experience he’s gained since leaving Bayern, he could be a suitable candidate to lead the first-team.
Summing Up
The Bayern Munich job is one of the biggest in world football. The decision the club makes this summer will be vital after the recent setback following a decade of dominance. Whether appointing a manager who appeared for the club as a player, or an established winner, fans will be confident of returning to the top.
