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          Bayern Munich confirm Jupp Heynckes return for fourth spell as head coach

          • Mark Lovell, Bayern Munich bloggerOct 6, 2017, 01:50 PM

          Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of former head coach Jupp Heynckes until the end of the season.

          Heynckes returns for a fourth spell in charge of the German giants following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti last month.

          Bayern announced the appointment of Heynckes, who has won the Bundesliga three times and the Champions League once across his previous spells at the club, via their Twitter accounts.

          "I would not have returned to any other club, but FC Bayern are a matter very close to my heart," Heynckes told Bayern's official website. "My staff and I will invest everything we have now so the team will be able to present successful football to our fans again soon. I am looking forward to this task."

          Heynckes added: "It's not a comeback, it's a friendly turn. And I've only done it because I owe a great deal to Bayern. I have a very good feeling. We can start now."

          Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is delighted Heynckes agreed to return to the club and said he is the "ideal" appointment.

          "There is a great bond of trust between FC Bayern and Jupp Heynckes," he said. "The talks, conducted by Uli Hoeness, Hasan Salihamidzic and myself, have shown it once again. We are thankful that Jupp has accepted the job as our head coach. At this point in time, he's the ideal coach for FC Bayern."

          Bayern sporting director Salihamidzic added: "Jupp Heynckes is a master in leadership and tactics. We are convinced that in our current situation he's exactly the right man to lead our team back to success and to our goals."

          Heynckes has brought in Hermann Gerland, who will leave his post as head of Bayern's academy until the end of the season, and Fortuna Dusseldorf assistant coach Peter Hermann to join his staff.

          Hermann, Heynckes' No. 2 when Bayern won the Treble in 2013, earlier confirmed to Bild that he had asked to be released from his contract with 2. Bundesliga leaders Fortuna, which had run until the end of the season.

          "Yes I want to do it," he said of linking up with Heynckes again. "I received an offer from Jupp to go to Bayern with him and I want to do it. I have spoken with Fortuna and, of course, [Fortuna coach] Friedhelm [Funkel] too -- it's what I want to do.

          "It's something special with Jupp. It's not easy for me to leave here but Fortuna is top of the table and on the right path. Tears will flow anyway."

          Hermann was Heynckes' assistant between 2009 and 2013, with two-year spells at both Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern.

          Hermann added: "Jupp and I have experienced so much together and I want do him this favour. I have so much to be thankful to him for and would like to give something back in return."

          As part of the deal, according to kicker, Fortuna will play a friendly against Bayern and receive an unspecified amount of money for releasing Hermann.

          Fortuna boss Funkel said: "Even though I regret that Peter Hermann leaves our staff, I can understand his wish. He was contacted by his friend Jupp Heynckes and wants to help him."

          Fortuna CEO Robert Schafer added: "The negotiations with Bayern Munich were fair and constructive. We've reached a result all parties can be satisfied with."

          Heynckes, meanwhile, has received the backing from Bayern defender Jerome Boateng and Germany boss Joachim Low to take over the Bundesliga champions for a fourth time.

          Heynckes had been in retirement since winning the Treble with Bayern in 2013, when Boateng was an integral member of the side.

          "If it happens, I think it's the best solution for Bayern and the team," Boateng told reporters on his return to the international fold after an absence of 12 months in Germany's 3-0 win in Northern Ireland. "It's a great solution for the whole club because he knows it inside out. He is a brilliantly intuitive trainer, who I think gets on well with the hierarchy.

          "He is massively experienced, already knows many players and all about the Bundesliga and international football. He knows how to handle players, not only superstars, but also players who aren't first choice and not playing regularly. He can offer the team new momentum and make it better."

          Germany coach Low also voiced his support for Heynckes after securing World Cup qualification for the reigning world champions.

          "He's an unbelievably experienced coach and, of course, he has a great aura too," he said. "In the situation that Bayern finds itself, it's a very good solution. If he comes back a few more times then perhaps he will become my successor at some stage!"

          Former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel, who had been heavily linked to the job, tweeted his support of the hiring, wishing Heynckes "all the best."

          Meanwhile, NBA star and Bayern fan Dirk Nowitzki tweeted "Jupp is baaaaack?!?!???" upon hearing the news of Heynckes' potential return.