Flick The Switch

When Bayern Munich were thrashed 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt in Nov 19; the writing was on the wall big-time. Stereophonics couldn't have done it better. The Bundesliga defending champions were languishing in fourth in the table; and to no-one's surprise; much-maligned coach Niko Kovac was given the sack. In came 55-year old Hansi Flick; and the results have been nothing short of dramatic.

In Josep Guardiola-style; Flick has pressed all the right buttons and Bayern are looking like a proper team again; heck; they look like the Bundesliga champions-in-waiting and possible UEFA Champions League favourites. They are currently seven points clear of the chasing pack in the domestic league and look hell-bent on stretching their record to eight consecutive Bundesliga wins. Firing on all cylinders; they are looking good both offensively & defensively. Even after the coronavirus meltdown; they look even stronger than before.

And their superiority was perhaps never best established than that Earth-shaking 3-0 away victory at Frank Lampard's Chelsea in the Champions League Round-of-16; when they staked their claim to be the continent's best. Chelsea are a strong team by itself; but on that single night; it seemed like all their youth-policy and strategy had been shaken up big-time.

And perhaps the greatest trait of Flick is how he has inspired the 'has-beens' back to their past greatness. Thomas Muller; the effervescent 30-year old was labelled a has-been by all & sundry; and even left out of the national team; but under Flick he has seen a renaissance-of-sorts; scoring, creating and moving as best we know he can. Ditto Jerome Boateng; who is now playing with confidence and verve at the heart of the defence. And Manuel Neuer; whom many had thought was past his best; is now looking back to his best form as well. When you add in young starlets like former Arsenal drop-out Serge Gnabry and left-back Alphonso Davies; you start to see why Bayern have got the killer blend going.

Flick is proving to be a great human-manager; able to cajole the best out of his men while giving them the trust and respect. And there you see the difference; as this Bayern team now is fully focused, cohesive and ready to give their all; whereas in the past; under Kovac; it was a very volatile situation with every man playing for himself; and no-one really enjoying their game.