Tuchel's Departure Inevitable, but Not the Cause of Bayern's 'Horror Film'

Bayern Munich's recent string of defeats, culminating in a third consecutive loss for the first time in nine years, has left midfielder Leon Goretzka feeling as though they are trapped in a never-ending "horror film." The club has now confirmed that coach Thomas Tuchel will depart at the end of the season, a decision that was widely expected.

The timing of this announcement, however, raises questions. It was evident even before the shocking defeat to Bochum last weekend that Tuchel's position was hanging by a thread. Yet, the decision to prolong his tenure until the end of the season is perplexing. It appears that finding a suitable replacement at this stage proved to be a challenge.

There is a legitimate concern that Bayern's decision to retain a manager who seems bewildered by their struggles and at odds with certain senior players will only prolong the agony for Tuchel, Goretzka, and everyone else involved. The wisdom behind this choice is questionable, and it leaves doubts about the direction Bayern Munich is heading in.

Poor passing and individual errors

Tuchel attempted to provide context for Bayern Munich's 3-2 loss to Bochum, emphasizing their dominance and numerous scoring opportunities. He argued that the defeat was different from the previous two, as they faced unexpected setbacks and played with a man down for a significant period. However, despite his perspective, Bayern's recent performances have shown various deficiencies.

Their 3-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen was abysmal throughout, while their Champions League match against Lazio saw them start well before inexplicably losing belief. In their most recent game, they could have won if they had been more clinical and defensively sound, but such consolation is insufficient for a team with ambitions of success.

The differing nature of the defeats does little to alter the bigger picture. It simply indicates that Bayern is finding different ways to lose games. The concerning aspect for the fans is that Tuchel appeared lost, unable to explain the poor passing, individual errors, and lack of concentration plaguing the team. If he cannot identify the root causes of these issues, the prospects of rectifying them before the pivotal second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie seem uncertain.

The fans are left in a state of fear and uncertainty, as the team's entire season now hinges on Tuchel's ability to address these problems and guide Bayern to success.

'Convinced' of Champions League turnaround

Following the disappointing loss to Bochum, Bayern Munich now find themselves eight points behind an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen with only 12 rounds remaining in the Bundesliga. This significant gap increases the likelihood that Bayern will fail to win the league for the first time since 2012. Midfielder Leon Goretzka openly admitted his doubt about their chances of finishing first when questioned by DAZN.

The players' pessimism raises questions about their mindset heading into the second leg against Lazio. Despite being the superior team on paper, Bayern's on-pitch performances have been marked by insecurity and a worrying lack of confidence. They are fully aware that their campaign will effectively come to an end if they fail to overturn the 1-0 deficit against Lazio on March 5.

Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, on the other hand, expressed confidence that they will advance to the quarter-finals in the second leg at the Allianz Arena, with the support of their fans. However, whether the players share this optimism remains uncertain.

The Kimmich clash

The notion that Tuchel's impending departure will inspire the Bayern Munich squad in the same way Jurgen Klopp's departure did for his team is absurd. It is evident that some senior players, most notably Joshua Kimmich, have already lost confidence in their manager.

Kimmich has felt undermined by Tuchel since the beginning of the season, with the coach publicly questioning his suitability as a No.6 and showing support for an unsuccessful attempt to sign Joao Palhinha from Fulham.

Despite being arguably Bayern's most crucial player under former coach Julian Nagelsmann, Kimmich has long been rumored to be considering a departure from the Allianz Arena due to his dissatisfaction with the coaching staff. This dissatisfaction reached a boiling point with a heated argument between Kimmich and Tuchel's assistant, Zsolt Low, following the Bochum defeat.

While Wednesday's news may bring about changes, one cannot help but question how much faith Kimmich has in a club that has seemingly been in a constant state of chaos over the past 18 months.

Already more defeats than Nagelsmann

The decision to replace Nagelsmann with Tuchel at Bayern Munich has proven to be a significant mistake, and Joshua Kimmich is likely to share this sentiment.

Despite winning the title last season, Bayern's success can largely be attributed to Borussia Dortmund's final-day collapse. Tuchel has already suffered more defeats (11) than his predecessor, despite being in charge for significantly fewer games.

Moreover, the performances under Tuchel have been consistently poor, leaving Bayern facing the grim possibility of a trophy-less season for the first time in 12 years. Given the current state of affairs, there is little justification for keeping Tuchel in charge for another four months.

The challenge, however, was finding a suitable replacement at this stage of the season. Zinedine Zidane and former coach Hansi Flick were both considered as potential options, but doubts surrounded their suitability for the role. While Zidane has the ability to command respect in a dressing room filled with egos, he has been out of the game for almost three years. Flick, on the other hand, could have been a temporary solution, but his recent tenure with the German national team, which included Bayern players, was historically poor.

Looking towards the long-term future, Xabi Alonso, who has excelled at Leverkusen and made Bayern and Tuchel appear inadequate, is seen as the ideal candidate. However, it is believed that Alonso would prefer a return to Anfield rather than joining the Allianz Arena if he leaves Leverkusen this summer.

Problems pre-date Tuchel

Amid the ongoing discussion about Bayern Munich's struggles under Tuchel, it is important to note that the issues within the club predate his arrival. While Leroy Sane and Sadio Mane may have had a disagreement under Tuchel's watch, there were already problems behind the scenes before his appointment in March.

Nagelsmann had clashes with players like Manuel Neuer and had conflicts with officials, conducting a mole hunt to identify alleged leaks from the dressing room to the media. Certain members of the squad also believed that Nagelsmann took too much credit for the team's success and was quick to blame players when things went wrong.

Interestingly, there are reports that some influential figures within the club now believe that certain star players need to take more responsibility for the relatively disappointing results in the past year or so. One could argue that Nagelsmann was dismissed prematurely.

Despite the dressing-room drama, Bayern were only one point behind Dortmund when Nagelsmann was sacked and had won all eight of their Champions League games, including victories over Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. At the very least, Nagelsmann's departure was poorly handled, as he was relieved of his duties while on a skiing holiday during an international break.

Self-inflicted wounds

As a result, the league title victory for Bayern Munich did not mask the underlying issues at the club, and both CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic were dismissed at the end of the season, with the same level of ruthlessness they had shown towards Nagelsmann. Kahn, in particular, did not even get to celebrate the title success with his colleagues.

The hope was that the change in leadership would bring stability and sensibility, reminiscent of the successful treble-winning season in 2020. However, it is evident that the club is once again in crisis, and what frustrates the fans is that many of the wounds are self-inflicted. This includes the board's ill-timed sacking of Nagelsmann, mishandling of the Palhinha deal, Tuchel's problematic treatment of Kimmich, and the continued selection of Upamecano over Matthijs de Ligt, who is left on the bench.

In this horror film-like scenario, the most unsettling aspect is that the club's protagonists are solely responsible for the precarious position they currently find themselves in.

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