In the euphoria following Bayern Munich’s latest title triumph, honorary president Uli Hoeneß has offered a remarkable assessment of the current squad, claiming the team displays a level of unity never seen before in the club’s history.
Speaking to BILD, the 73-year-old did not hold back in his praise – and saved special admiration for head coach Vincent Kompany, whose appointment had raised eyebrows across German football.
“Absolutely no cliques”
When asked what impressed him most about this championship, Hoeneß replied: “That the team has never been so united in the history of FC Bayern as it is now. There are absolutely no ‘cliques’ in this team.”
He stressed that the harmony extends far beyond the playing staff. “This includes not only the players, but also the entire coaching staff, the physios, and also Max Eberl and Christoph Freund,” Hoeneß added.
The lunch that decided everything
Hoeneß went on to reveal the moment he knew Kompany – who had just suffered relegation with Burnley in England – was the right man to lead the record champions.
“When we signed Vincent, everyone thought: How is someone who comes from a relegated team in England supposed to lead Bayern? Many didn’t think he could do it,” Hoeneß admitted.
The decisive scene unfolded during a lunch at the renowned Munich restaurant Käfer. “We met at Käfer’s with Vincent, his father, Herbert Hainer, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund for lunch. After half an hour, I grabbed Max by the knee under the table and gave him a thumbs-up.”
“That’s when I knew and felt that it would be good and that Vincent was the right man for us.”
‘Work’ as a guiding principle
Hoeneß highlighted Kompany’s emphasis on hard work – a value he believes carries a message beyond the football pitch.
“Vincent placed the word ‘work’ at the heart of his analysis. I really liked that, and it could be a good example and role model for our country,” Hoeneß said. “Some people believe that everything can be done with less work – but that’s completely wrong.”
The Bayern icon painted a picture of a relentless head coach: “Vincent is here every morning at 7:30 and is one of the last to leave in the evening. You can see that he simply enjoys himself, and he never started complaining when a player was injured.”
Making Kane even better
Perhaps the most striking compliment came at the end, as Hoeneß insisted Kompany has elevated every single member of the squad – including one of the world’s finest strikers.
“He’s made every single player here better – even Harry Kane, and that’s the real art,” Hoeneß concluded.
