Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 3y

Bayern Munich manager Flick won't rule out summer exit

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick has again refused to rule out leaving the Champions League winners this summer amid a power struggle between him and sporting executive Hasan Salihamidzic that has casted doubts over the 56-year-old's future at the Allianz Arena.

Flick has been linked with a return to the German national team where he could take over from Joachim Low after the 2020 European Championships this summer. Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's call for an end of the feud went unheard by the coach at the pre-match news conference ahead of Saturday's league match against Union Berlin.

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"We must all pull together, remain in harmony and work together loyally and professionally," Rummenigge said in Bild on Friday morning. "This is my clear demand to the sporting leadership. This has always distinguished Bayern Munich.

"This issue must end. It's unnecessary to permanently comment on it."

Over the past few weeks, a row between Flick and Salihamidzic over the club's transfer philosophy dating back to the club's 2020 winter training camp in Qatar was once again sparked by Low's decision to leave Germany following this summer's Euro.

Flick, a former assistant to Low, is a candidate for the job and has so far refused to comment on his future after this season. With key players such as David Alaba and Jerome Boateng leaving the club this summer, seemingly against Flick's will, the coach has grown impatient with sporting executive Salihamidzic's strategy.

On Wednesday, Salihamidzic confirmed Boateng would leave the club only minutes before the match against Paris Saint-Germain and Flick later refused to comment on it, telling reporters that a coach sometimes also needs to be an actor.

Two days later, addressing the Rummenigge comments on Friday, Flick said: "I have been here for a year and a half maybe. Last year, we had a squad which, and I think everyone agrees, was superior in quality to this year's squad.

"It's a lot of fun for me and my staff. We are fully focused on our task, focused on the team," Flick said. "Because I feel that my squad is absolutely loyal towards me.

"I try to solve everything so that it's in the club's best interest. All the other interference, that's not on me," he said. "From here on, please understand, I won't comment on this anymore and just say: Next question, please!"

And that was his answer when asked why he did not end the speculation surrounding his future at Bayern.

"Next question, please!" he said.

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