By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Nov 5 (Xinhua) -- Niko Kovac turned up for the last visit at the Saebener Strasse in Munich's suburb Giesing this Tuesday morning while fans, players, officials and pundits puzzle over his possible successor. The 48-year-old former Bayern coach dropped by to say goodbye to his former team after his dismissal last Sunday evening.
Most of Bayern's stars arrived earlier than usual for duty to meet Kovac. Bayern's non-football staff received a farewell email from Kovac.
Only minutes later, interim solution Hansi Flick started his first training session after a brief speech in the 2013 treble winner's locker room.
The 54-year-old former assistant of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning coach Joachim Loew has been temporarily commissioned to deal with this week's challenges such as the Champions League group game against Olympiacos this Wednesday and the Bundesliga Classico against Borussia Dortmund this Saturday.
It remains undecided if Flick will be in charge until the end of the season or if he will be just acting as a part-time head coach with the 65-year-old club legend Hermann Gerland at his side.
Considering Bayern president Uli Hoeness' last statements, the Bavarians are to decide about their new coach within the next three weeks. "We have three weeks to find a solution," Hoeness said as club competition will come to a halt due to qualification games of the national teams.
Hoeness spoke about his impression of Kovac feeling great relief after "I called him on Monday." Meanwhile, speculation continues as to who will be Bayern's next coach.
While several solutions have been discussed, it is said Ajax coach and former Bayern amateur coach Erik Ten Hag, he won't leave his current side in Amsterdam before the end of the 2019/2020 season.
Ten Hag is said to be Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's and the club supporters' first choice, but now a solution until May 2020 has to be found, or the Bavarians go for another coach available right away.
The pay-TV station Sky reported the management of Paris coach Thomas Tuchel has told Bayern the former Dortmund manager isn't available at present but might consider an offer next summer.
Former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, taking over until the season end, seems on the list as well as Flick, in case this week's games deliver satisfying results and the former sports director of the German association can create a fruitful atmosphere within the squad.
Names such as former Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri and former Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick are mentioned aside from Jose Mourinho. Insiders say the former Manchester United manager isn't a serious option to Bayern's leaders.
Several media reports speak of Bayern going for a star coach after on that level inexperienced Kovac got the sack.
For now, Flick has to lead a team in unrest to calm waters.
Rummenigge demanded a turnaround and said two victories are inevitable. The Bayern chairman said the players are expected to deliver, and no excuses are accepted.
Flick can only count on minor experiences as a head coach. The former midfielder worked with the TSG Hoffenheim in the clubs' third division era and replaced banned Loew in the last 16-round duel against Portugal (3-2) at the 2008 European Championships as Germany's head coach.
Flick is extremely popular among players and is said to be an innovative figure when it comes to game development. Players are told to get along well with his restrained character as he is said to be a pragmatic but reasonable type.
"This is no one-man-show," Bayern's coach commented, calling himself "a team-player". Flick said he expects the team to have understood "it's their turn now." Javi Martinez and Thomas Mueller are among his starting 11. "I want an active and determined team," he added after a first intense training session.
