Prodded by the Press, Beckenbauer Hits on Mourinho

In the wake of Ottmar Hitzfeld’s resignation as Bayern Munich gaffer (effective at the end of the season), Franz Beckenbauer is now officially on the hunt for a new victim, and he’s starting with a certain Portuguese.

Given how much Jose Mourinho adores attention, the best way to catch his Special Eye is to give him what he wants, and that’s something Beckenbauer has evidently figured out. In an interview with Bild today Beckenbauer responds with a glib “Why not?” when asked about Mourinho, and then massages The Special Ego with phrases like “big name” and “master tactician” in reference to the new gaffer, while simultaneously offering a not-so-subtle challenge, adding that whoever takes charge of Bayern next summer must be able to speak German. In other words, if Jose wants it, he’s going to have to earn it (and by “it” I mean the Bayern job, not something more personal from Beckenbauer) by following through on his idle musings about German being a language he wants to learn.

Of course, Beckenbauer also specifically mentions Karl Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß as possible successors to Hitzfeld (both of them, you’ll no doubt be shocked to hear, already speak German), but the English-language press, for the most part, are leaving that bit out. And, really, who can blame them? The idea of anyone pining after Mourinho is a lot more fun that his name just being one of many in a really, really big hat.

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Category: Bundesliga, World Football