Bayern Munich on Wednesday officially announced it has hired Pep Guardiola to coach next season for an undisclosed salary over three years.
"Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the
world and we are sure that he can make not just Bayern, but all of
German football shine," Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in a
statement on the club's website.
The Bundesliga giants made the
news official just one day after Bayern media director Markus Horwick
described claims the club had approached Guardiola to take over as
"complete rubbish."
Guardiola, who is the first Spanish manager of
Bayern Munich since the club's promotion to the Bundelisga in 1965, had
been linked with Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester City as
well as AC Milan in the past weeks. He replaces Jupp Heynckes, 67, who
is completing his third stint as Bayern coach and who told the team he
wanted to end his career when his contract expires at the end of the
season.
Guardiola's agent, Josep Maria Orobitg, told Efe Radio
that the contract was signed on Dec. 20 before the holidays, and that
Guardiola chose Bayern "because it was the best offer.
"We have
been passing up offers," Orobitg said. "This one (Bayern) is not the one
that offered the most money. He has elected it for its organization and
all the possibilities he sees for his players."
"As an adequate replacement for Heynckes only [someone] of Pep
Guardiola's caliber came into question," said Bayern chairman Uli
Hoeness.
Bayern
Munich has appeared in two of the past three Champions League finals,
losing to Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea in 2012. The club leads the
league table by nine points with 17 matches played.
The former
Barcelona boss, 41, who last month admitted he wanted to return to
coaching after taking a year off, had been linked with the Bundesliga
club, according to a report in Sky Sports Italy.
Guardiola won 14 titles with Barcelona before stepping down last season.
On
Tuesday during an interview as part of the launch of celebrations
marking the English Football Association's 150th anniversary, Guardiola
said he wanted to manage in England.
"It is unique, to play in
that league," he told FATV. "I want to feel the supporters, the
environment, the media and the style of the players.
"I have always found English football fascinating. The support of the
home team is amazing."
No comments:
Post a Comment