Why Are Bayern Munich Fans So Hard on Sebastian Rudy?
It is hard for Bayern Munich fans to complain about much these days.
Die Roten is rolling under Jupp Heynckes, Thomas Müller is playing at his best level in at least three years, the roster is inundated with talent and firepower, and the squad has a legitimate chance to capture another treble (Bundesliga title, DFB Pokal title, and Champions League title).
Why is it then, that when Sebastian Rudy takes the pitch for Bayern, that so much bitterness ensues?
As one of Die Roten's offseason transfers, Rudy came in with a reputation as a solid midfielder with the ability to play steady defense, while still making offensive contributions ---- and was also well regarded as a team leader (and captain!) at his previous club, TSG Hoffenheim. Today, however, the seemingly collective groan of Bayern fans at every Rudy step on the pitch has become exhausting.
The Bayern midfield corps is ridiculously stacked with talent. It's embarrassing, actually. In
addition to Rudy, Die Roten has Muller, James Rodriguez, Thiago Alcantara, Arturo Vidal, Javi Martinez, and Corentin Tolisso in some capacity all competing for time at the 10, 8, and 6 positions. While Heynckes has done well to rotate Muller and James at wing positions to create more flexibility in the middle - and even with Thiago, Muller, James, and Tolisso all missing chunks of time due to injury this season - it has been hard for Rudy to find consistent field time this season.
In addition to not being able to build any consistency within his own game, Rudy has had to adapt and adjust to a core of midfield players, who all have a diverse and unique skill-set that requires both time and familiarity to achieve success.
The legions of Bayern fans who espouse the greatness of players like Thiago or Vidal, likely are looking past the flaws with those players. This is not a hit piece on the loyal fans of Bayern, though. They have every right to feel that way about such excellent performers...players who have provided numerous great moments in Munich.
One advantage such players have, however, is that they have been with this roster long enough to have a defined style of play for how they interact with each other. Simply put, the years of experience and training time that players like Vidal, Muller, Martinez, and Thiago have together, helps ensure they are more seamless with their cohesion on the field. Newcomers like Rudy, Tolisso, and even James, however, all have had distinct learning curves over the course of the year.
With James, he has had the opportunity to float more and had less defensive responsibilities, while Tolisso has also been granted the ability to charge more up-field as part of the lineups he has been a part of. Rudy, however, has taken on a more defensive role under Heynckes that requires his presence more in front of the back four, than competing for scoring opportunities in the box.
In an odd way, Rudy was one of the few Bayern players that appear to be more of an asset with Carlo Ancelotti than he is under Heynckes.
To complicate matters further, the arrival of box-to-box stalwart Leon Goretzka from Schalke 04 this summer will undoubtedly cause Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß to seek out transfer opportunities for one or two of the current midfield crop with Vidal, Rudy, Martinez, and Thiago as the leaders in the clubhouse to exit Munich.
The talent with Rudy is there. It was evident with Hoffenheim and with the German team that won the 2017 Confederations Cup. What Rudy needs, however, is time...both on the training grounds and during games.
Unfortunately for the 28-year old, that may not happen with this season's version of Bayern Munich. Rudy can bring his on-field leadership and midfield skill to most other clubs in the Bundesliga and fit in as a regular starter. He may get that opportunity sooner rather than later, but if Bayern stands by Rudy, they may even reap the benefit of such patience that will allow Rudy to blossom into a long-term role with the club. If not, it would appear he will have to ply his trade elsewhere.
