Bayern Munich Release Oliver Kahn, Others Despite Winning Bundesliga
The backlash resulting from the club’s decision to oust former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic from their roles as top administrators immediately overshadowed Bayern Munich’s celebrations of winning the Bundesliga.
Jamal Musiala’s late goal in the 2-1 victory over Cologne on Saturday helped Bayern win the German championship by one goal, moving them ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the standings.
Soon after, the club made the announcement that Salihamidzic had been appointed sporting director and Kahn had been terminated as chief executive with immediate effect by the club’s supervisory board.
Thomas Tuchel, the Bayern coach, stated that “instead of celebrating, now we have the next issue.”
Following Bayern Munich’s slump in form this year, pressure was put on Kahn and Salihamidzic. The Champions League and German Cup quarterfinals were both lost, while the Bundesliga title battle was the tightest in years after Bayern had easily won the previous ten.
Later, club president Herbert Hainer said that the two individuals were fired on Friday, prior to the team’s surprising Bundesliga triumph.
Dortmund only needed to defeat Mainz at home on Saturday to clinch the German championship, as they were ahead by two points going into the final round. However, the score was only 2-2.
Kahn did not travel, but Salihamidzic traveled for Bayern’s final match at Cologne.
Kahn responded to the club’s assertion that he skipped the game due to a doctor’s instructions by writing on Twitter, “I wasn’t allowed by the club.”
Tuchel was astonished by the club’s decision to oust the individuals responsible for bringing him on board in March as Julian Nagelsmann’s replacement.
“I was aware of it as of yesterday. We embarked on this trip together largely because of the two. Tuchel remarked following his team’s victory, “I have to process it now because of it. But I’m assuming I’ll keep on in my career at Bayern.
Bayern Munich announced that vice-chairman of the supervisory board Jan-Christian Dreesen will succeed Kahn as CEO while Salihamidi’s replacement is still being sought.
Thomas Müller, a veteran of Bayern Munich, stated that “the club had the feeling that they had to do something,” adding, “That’s what we were told and that’s what they’ve now decided.”
Former Bayern Munich captain and German goalkeeper Kahn joined the team again in 2020 on a 5-year deal. He began as a supervisory board member before succeeding Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as chairman and CEO in 2022.
In 1994, Kahn moved to Bayern Munich from Karlsruher SC, where he won six German Cups, eight Bundesliga championships, and the Champions League in 2001. For six of those league championships and four of them cup victories, Salihamidzic was his teammate.
Kahn played 86 times for Germany, helping them win the European Championship in 1996 and the World Cup in 2002. He received awards for being the greatest goalie in the world three times, the best goalkeeper in Europe four times, and the best German footballer twice.
In 2017, Salihamidi was appointed sporting director of Bayern.
Salihamidi remarked, “I truly want to win the Champions League again with this team, therefore I would have liked to keep going.
In order to explain their decision to fire the two guys, Bayern has scheduled a news conference for Sunday.
