Uli Hoeneß is enthusiastic about coach Vincent Kompany after just a few months – but has advice for some of the players.
Uli Hoeneß doesn’t really like wearing a jacket, but sees himself compelled to do so in his now fewer public appearances. This was especially true on Tuesday evening, when the honorary president of FC Bayern was invited to the economic forum at Neubeuern Castle and questioned for more than two hours. By moderators and entrepreneurs, as well as by students at the boarding school, who were seeking tips for their future careers.
Hoeneß presented himself as usual, articulate, quick-witted and in a good mood. “The Hoeneß family is doing very well at the moment,” he said. ‘The company is doing well and FC Bayern is top of the league.’
And FC Bayern was hardly mentioned at all on an evening when, for a change, it wasn’t supposed to be about FC Bayern. However, Hoeneß couldn’t quite avoid mentioning ‘his’ club – albeit when asked.
But unlike in April, when the now 72-year-old had harshly criticized then-coach Thomas Tuchel during a panel discussion with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Hoeneß now appeared highly satisfied with his successor. “Vincent Kompany is, in my view – and it’s too early to say for sure after just a few weeks – a godsend for Bayern Munich,” he enthused, giving his reasons.
Kompany, explained Hoeneß, “is someone who has played football at a high level himself”. Who, in addition, “in my view, has a great character”, and above all: “He sees football as work. He wants to make the individual players better, and that’s what he works on. It also happens that they train for two hours until they are tired.”
So far, he has only good things to say about the Belgian coach, who, after a brilliant start, has recently gone three games without a win despite some promising performances. He also suffered his first defeat in the Champions League at Aston Villa (0-1). “We’ve played six games, four of them away, and are top of the table,” said Hoeneß, grinning as he offered some advice to certain players: ”Vincent Kompany’s aggressive style of play had nothing to do with the 3-3 draw in Frankfurt. It was because we played a one-two at the halfway line in the 93rd minute. Katsche would have kicked the ball over the roof.”
All in all, then, a more than respectable interim result, according to supervisory board member Hoeneß: “The great thing is: we play great, he plays entertaining football. Since he’s been here, I’ve really enjoyed going to the stadium again. It’s entertainment, you have fun.”
Of course, Hoeneß would have preferred a win in Frankfurt, but “we are all football fans. If you were in the stadium in Frankfurt and saw the game, you would say: ‘Wow!’ And that’s what it’s all about, that’s what we stand for.”