Well, That Was Quick: Klinsmann for Bayern

Forget the long search, the flirting with Mourinho, and the months spent feeding the rumor mill: Franz Beckenbauer already has his man, and it’s Jürgen Klinsmann.

Since taking Germany to a third-place World Cup finish in his only management job thus far, Klinsmann has been kicking back in Cali, playing park league football, chatting with Sunil Gulati, and gracefully allowing himself to be associated with every other football job that’s opened up over the past 18 months. But now, finally, he’s getting back to work. The only probably is that, unlikely the Germany gig, this one is going to force him to finally abandon California for his homeland. Bummer.

Klinsmann’s lack of management experience would be a problem in a lot of leagues (When was the list time a big Italian club hired someone with one coaching job on his resume?), but his name and stature will be enough to get him respect at Bayern, at least until that first catastrophic loss. And, since that can’t even happen until late August, he’s golden! That said, by that time the hype will have reached a fever pitch, particularly if Bayern don’t win the title this season, but if anyone can take it it’s probably Klinsmann: He’s not got a wealth of experience on the bench, but when it comes to dealing with pressure and the attention of the German press, he’s an old hand. Plus, he won titles as a player with Bayern, and is doubtless entirely comfortable at the club and with Beckenbauer, who coached him during his playing days there.

What do you think, Bayern supporters? Best move ever? Disaster? If nothing else, he dresses well — that’s something, right?

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Category: Bundesliga, World Football