Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic insisted the Bundesliga giants have not considered replacing coach Niko Kovac

Bayern Munich director Hasan Salihamidzic says that the Bavarian giants haven’t considered replacing Niko Kovac, after a dismal start to their sixth consecutive title defence. 

Bayern have had a tough start to their campaign in the Bundesliga and the Bavarians will have their work cut out for them if they hope to win a seventh consecutive title.

Kovac’s tough season: four things you need to know

1. 1. 1. Kovac succeeded Jupp Heynckes as manager of the club for the 2018–19 season, with a three-year contract lasting until 30 June 2021.
      2. Under Kovac this season Bayern have had the worst form at home for the last 25 years.
      3. Bayern have won the Bundelisga for the last six seasons, but they currently sit fifth on the table, nine points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund.
      4. The German giants have played eight league games without a clean sheet, their worst defensive run since 2000 when they conceded in 12 successive fixtures.

Despite the poorest start to a season for a long time, Salihamidzic insists the club is not thinking about replacing the Croatian in the dugout.

When asked if he’s considered signing former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, the sporting director told Goal: “No, 100 per cent. No.

“No, we have not (contacted any coaches),” he added. “We did not think about whether we would hire another coach.”

However, following Bayern’s 3-3 draw at home to Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday, their president Uli Hoeness said talks would be held after the Benfica clash.

After the Bundesliga giant’s 5-1 dismantling of Benfica in the Champions League last night, Salihamidzic says he expects that conversation to be pleasant admitting: “The game has spoken for itself.

“We said that we will talk after the game and the conversation will certainly be very pleasant.”

Is Kovac really to blame for Bayern’s slump?

When the Croatian tactician arrived in Munich he inherited the same squad bequeathed to him by Jupp Heynckes; the same squad that had just won the Bundesliga and most of the same players who had won the five Bundesliga titles before that.

It stands to reason that the problem must lie squarely at the person with his hands on the rudder. However, Kovac wasn’t left a golden nest egg at Bayern but rather he was left an ageing squad from top to bottom which doesn’t have much left to prove.

Legends of Bayern’s modern era like Frank Ribery and Arjen Robben were both considering hanging up their boots at the end of the last campaign.

Almost half of Bayern’s squad will be over 30 by the year’s end. The list includes key players including Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Robert Lewandowski and Javi Martinez.

The average age of Bayern’s Bundesliga squads so far is 27.7 years old, which is the oldest in the league. All the teams ahead of them in the league are more youthful – Dortmund (24.8) Leipzig (23.9) and Mönchengladbach (26,0) are all under 27 years of age.

Clearly, Kovac or any manager who takes over at Bayern will be faced with the daunting task of overhauling an ageing squad, and if that problem isn’t addressed soon there won’t be time for a graceful transition.

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