By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Nov 3 (Xinhua) -- Niko Kovac has hit rock bottom as coach of the ruling German Champions Bayern Munich. The time of the 48-year-old seems running out after a disastrous 5-1 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Alarming signals couldn't be more worrying as the Bavarians skipped public training on Sunday while Kovac and club leaders met for a crisis meeting behind closed doors.
Several media reports speak of a period of grace given to Kovac containing the upcoming games in the Champions League against Olympiacos this Wednesday and the Bundesliga Classico against Borussia Dortmund next Saturday.
16 conceived goals in 10 national league games tell the story apart of losing ground in the 2019/2020 title race with Bayern four points behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Kovac is described as a lone wolf waiting in vain for support from his club.
Former Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann got the sack shortly after a 5-1 defeat against VfL Wolfsburg in 2009. "You don't lose 5-1 with Bayern not having to face the consequences," the Sueddeutsche Zeitung now commented.
Club leaders are said to have come about to stick to Kovac until after the club's general assembly on November 15 when Uli Hoeness is going to retire as president but remains a board member.
The 67-year-old architect of modern Bayern was regarded as Kovac's last remaining supporter and mentor. Meanwhile, the Bavarian fans have turned their heads away from the Bayern coach and refuse support.
The upcoming Bundesliga break to carry out international qualifiers might be the next turning point in the more and more unhappy collaboration between Kovac and Bayern.
Rumors talk about former Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick, former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, former German national team director Hansi Flick and Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag as possible successors.
Only Rangnick, Flick, and Mourinho would be available right away while Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is said to favor Ten Hag, who is still under contract with his Dutch club. Flick has already joined Bayern as an assistant coach for Kovac, but most likely would be a replacement until a new head coach is found.
German legend Lothar Matthaeus opened fire accusing Kovac, having chosen a chaotic line-up and disturbing his team. "He changed the back-row for an important game like Frankfurt with nearly everyone on a new position," the 150 times capped former midfielder complained.
Kovac has been under fire for weeks due to false tactics and a lack of development. The well-informed sports-magazine Kicker wrote about a significant gap between coach and team. Others said Kovac had lost the "locker room."
The Bayern coach couldn't solve his midfield problem leading to more stability, while a robust six such as Javi Martinez is missing. New arrival Coutinho is still far from his best besides Mueller, mostly downgraded to a substitute. Far too often, Bayern has to rely on the individual class of spearhead Robert Lewandowski. The Pole scored 14 goals in 10 league games.
German national keeper and Bayern team captain Manuel Neuer sarcastically commented on the latest defeat by saying, "I wasn't surprised to me that something like that happened."
The tabloid Bild said Kovac is possibly facing his two last games with Bayern and is in danger of losing his job when finding no convincing answers against Olympiacos and national rival Dortmund on home-soil. In a comment, Bild demanded from Bayern's leaders to end their coaches suffering.
Kovac said he is far from naive, not to read the signs. "I have never given up, and I won't give up now," he said. Now he seems to have to fight for his last chance.
