By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A perfect start to a new season is every coach's dream. For Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti the curtain raiser of the German Bundesliga's this Friday evening against Bayer Leverkusen is essential. While Bayern Munich's club leaders such as president Uli Hoeness and CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge currently express their support for Ancelotti, several German pundits expect a troublesome season for Ancelotti when international success can't be secured.
According to former German international Stefan Effenberg, it is not out of sight that Ancelotti is in danger to be fired when he can't solve the team's problems. Former German national keeper Oliver Kahn regards him under close surveillance when the Bayern coach does not deliver satisfactory results in the Champions League. International results are the important and decisive ones Kahn is predicting. The national title is compulsory on top, but business as usual.
Former Liverpool FC professional and German international Dietmar Hamann believes disappointment regarding Ancelotti's performance has been at its climax after Renato Sanches, Joshua Kimmich and Kingsley Coman performed far from what club leaders expected. "Ancelotti has some of the most promising European talents in his squad, but their development was poor," Hamann stressed.
Like for Pep Guardiola, the Champions League will decide about Ancelotti's future Kahn confirmed. As well the performance of young footballers will play a significant role Kahn is convinced.
Bayern's leaders installed former Bayern defender Willy Sagnol as Ancelotti's new assistant coach and former striker and midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic as the clubs new director of sports. Both cases are seen as a warning shot for Ancelotti as the club intends to gain back influence and control regarding the first team' s squad. Hermann Gerland is in charge of Bayern's new youth academy. Gerland is known for his close relationship to Hoeness.
Ancelotti in several interviews expressed he does not regard Sagnol and Salihamidzic as necessary to secure future success.
48-year-old Kahn expects Bayern to change soon their attitude regarding exorbitant transfer fees as the "club will have to satisfy his stars in the next years".
Bayern's leaders will have to invest more and not only to try to dominate the German Bundesliga but to play a better role in European football. Bayern in the last years has focused too much on the national title and has neglected to express their European ambitions Kahn believes. The former keeper said mental factors play a vital role when it comes to important titles.
Kahn stressed in a recent interview that regarding the Bundesliga, the new season will be far from a piece of cake for the Munich club. Kahn said it could soon turn out to be a problem for Bayern not to have competitive rivals in the national league. That could cause a motivation problem. In England and Spain, Kahn said, several teams are eager to win the title, and several have the opportunity to win.
In the Bundesliga, no other club can challenge Bayern seriously. As soon as the club leaders see a mental problem developing for Bayern's players he expects the club to intensify investments to be a stronger competitor to European rivals such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Paris St. Germain and English clubs such as Manchester United and Manchester City.
To challenge top European clubs, Bayern will be forced to join the transfer race and pay the gigantic amounts of money that are already paid by several top clubs. Kahn recommended a combined strategy of higher investment and a stronger effort in the youth development.
Kahn stressed he believes the 222 million euro for Neymar is not yet the end. The price for super stars might rise he assumed which won't cause problems in his perspective.
In 2001 Zinedine Zidane, Real's current coach joined Real as a player for 75 million euro and football as a global sport did not lose its attraction. Enthusiasm was intense when Manchester City started to make massive investments due to the support of foreign investors as the excitement is intense in Paris at the moment due to the Neymar deal.
According to European regulations and law, a salary cap cannot be the answer. That's why Kahn does not see transfer fees at their final top. If European football would decide to implement salary cap the European football will lose influence and power as many of the top stars will consider joining other leagues. Kahn is convinced the 50 plus one law in football will soon be re-structured as tradition and commercial aspects can be combined. The clubs which are doing best in that respect will be the most successful ones.
