Julian Nagelsmann:

“Got away better than FC Bayern itself”

Julian Nagelsmann is not wistful about his time at FC Bayern. Speaking at the ISPO sports trade fair, the former Munich coach said of his departure from Säbener Straße: "I got out of it better than Bayern itself."

Nagelsmann, who is now coach of the German national team, was able to live well with his dismissal in Munich in March 2023. "You should always go your own way. If you're no longer the right man from the point of view of those in charge, then I think you can live with that. If you're just a puppet and then get sacked, I think it's much harder. And that wasn't me. From that point of view, I came out of it better than Bayern themselves," the 37-year-old recalls his time at the Isar. 

Political currents at the club
What he learned as a Bayern coach is the fact that many people want to have a say in big clubs. "In the end, I do believe that there are always a few political currents at a big club that you have to take into account. Nevertheless, you can't allow yourself to be bent." 

In sporting terms, Nagelsmann can stand behind every decision he has made, but in terms of content, he would certainly not repeat one or two things: "There were moments when I made decisions during my time at Bayern that I would now decide differently in retrospect. These are decisions in terms of content, where there are already a lot of currents. There are things in such a big club that are seen as outstandingly good on a Monday, but are worth nothing on a Tuesday. That's when I learned that you have to be a little more careful."

Dismissed despite master plate
Nagelsmann had signed with Bayern as Hansi Flick's successor in 2021. Despite winning the title in 2022, the Bavarian-born manager had to pack his bags in March 2023 and make way for Thomas Tuchel. Vincent Kompany has since taken his place on the Munich bench, while Nagelsmann has been coaching the German national team since September 2023.