Retired Heynckes says close to taking over at crisis-hit Bayern

AFP

Retired treble-winning coach Jupp Heynckes said on Thursday he was close to a deal to take charge at crisis-hit Bayern Munich for a fourth time, after the German Bundesliga champion sacked Carlo Ancelotti last week.

The 72-year-old Heynckes led Bayern to the domestic league and Cup double and the UEFA Champions League title in 2013 but then made way for Spaniard Pep Guardiola.

Italian Ancelotti took over last season but was fired after Bayern slipped to second place in the league, twice squandering two-goal leads in consecutive games. The Bavarians also went down 0-3 at Paris Saint-Germain in the UCL.

"Nothing has been finalized. I still have to analyze everything because it has been four and a half years since I last worked for Bayern and football has changed since then," the Heynckes told the Rheinische Post newspaper.

He said Bayern had made an offer until the end of the season and he had met with club bosses to discuss "several issues", adding he felt fit enough to do the job despite his age.

He did not say when he would make his decision.

Heynckes, who also led Real Madrid to the UCL title and coached Benfica, Athletic Bilbao and a string of Bundesliga clubs, has not worked since 2013.

He also coached Bayern from 1987-91 and briefly took over at the end of the 2008/9 season before becoming head coach between 2011 and 2013.

According to Sport Bild, the unexpected choice of Heynckes carries a certain logic, AFP reported.

With the team in disarray currently, an authoritative character who knows the club intimately is necessary, it said.

Two German coaches believed to be in the running to manage Bayern — former Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel and Hoffenheim boss Julian Nagelsmann — have no prior experience with the club.