Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has offered his support to under-fire Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac, adding that Bayern must remain patient with the new manager.
After taking charge of the side this summer, Kovac already finds himself under enormous pressure after Bayern have failed to win any of their last four games in all competitions, leaving them sixth in the Bundesliga. His tactics have been widely criticised, and the humiliating 3-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach only added to the growing list of problems for Kovac to address.
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Speaking at Per Mertesacker’s farewell match in Hannover, Wenger was asked about his feelings towards Bayern‘s current situation. He is quoted by German outlet BILD as saying: “I’m surprised, like all Germans, but not worried. They always come back. Bayern had a bad phase.
“But for me, two things are important: That they now remain stable with Kovac and that the self-confidence is rebuilt within the club. Then there will be a strong Bayern team again.
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“There is so much stress in this profession today that the solidarity between the trainers is very, very important. In Germany, they also have very young coaches. Trainers who have good facilities to become very great coaches.
“That’s why it’s so important that they find support when things are not going so well.”
Finally, Wenger hinted that he may soon be ready to return to management. He said: “I’m a bad football retiree. I have not stopped working at this level for 35 years. Maybe two or three months rest is not so bad for my health. Then it starts again.”
The Frenchman is widely regarded as one of the finest managers in the world, guiding Arsenal to a huge amount of success during his early years with the club. His 22 years with Arsenal came to an end this summer as he stepped down and allowed Unai Emery to replace him in the dugout at the Emirates.