In year two, it's already crunch time for Bayern Munich's Niko Kovac
One of the more polarizing topics among the Bayern Munich fan base is if Bavarian coach Niko Kovac can really be considered "Bavarian material." There is a strong #KovacOut group that feels that the 47-year-old coach is over-matched and not really quite the quality of what Bayern expects from its coaches. The #KovacIn side is more focused on giving Kovac the opportunity to prove himself good enough or not...but at least having the chance to show it.
Already in the second season, Kovac's margin for error is slim in the eyes of many Bayern fans.
The 2018-2019 campaign would not have been an easy challenge for any coach. With an aging, oft-injured, and high maintenance roster, Kovac took the first half of the season to work through the kinks of trying to figure out how to handle the personalities on the squad.
There were many bumps along that road, but by the second half, Kovac started to figure things out despite the many issues that were surrounding the squad. With James Rodriguez creating a distraction off the field (when he was actually healthy), Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery battling health issues, Thomas Muller drawing a very untimely Champions League suspension, and other obstacles, Kovac deftly maneuvered the team to a Bundesliga title and a DFB-Pokal crown.
Somehow, though, instead of breeding more confidence in the coach, it has turned portions of the Bayern fan base against him even more as now Kovac is being labeled as unable to take Bayern Munich to Champions League-level greatness -- where all Bayern coaches are ultimately judged.
Is it fair? No, but it is the reality of the situation.
The task ahead of Kovac this season is not going to be smooth. Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are real, formidable contenders this season and each club offers up a talent-laden roster that can no doubt compete with Bayern Munich. Should Kovac fail to win the league, the public (and extremely vocal) pressure reign down on the Bayern front office.
Life will not be easy for Niko Kovac. Every move he makes will second-guessed and every failure on the pathway for season will likely be place firmly on his shoulders. The reciprocation for any of his success will be harder to come by. Clearly for some Bayern fans, they won't credit the coach no matter what he achieves, but that is probably okay by Kovac. Throughout all of the noise, Kovac has not shown much response publicly, even as he has been repeatedly been put on blast.
Again, it may not be fair to Kovac, but it's just the way it is. As he prepares for Match Day 1 to kick off, Kovac can at least feel at ease knowing he believes in what he is doing and has shown the maturity to change when things have not worked out. Is that enough to appease the Bayern fans questioning his every move? Probably not, but Kovac won't react one way or the other.
Simply put, he knows better. So as Match Day 1 nears its official start we'd like to say good luck Niko, you are going to need it.
