By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Despite the suspension of almost all the world's football competitions, Bayern Munich have extended the contract of head coach Hansi Flick until summer 2023.
Football's uncertain future due to the current COVID-19 pandemic might have influenced Bayern's decision.
"Football is facing unforeseen challenges. We're convinced Hansi Flick is the right head coach for the difficult time ahead of us," said the club's Director of Football Hasan Salihamidzic.
55-year-old Flick worked his way up from assistant coach to succeed Niko Kovac at the helm on November 4, and has since won 18 of his 21 games in charge.
After returning to the top of the Bundesliga and reaching the German Cup semifinals, the record German champions beat Premier League side Chelsea 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
The complex effects of the COVID-19 crisis are only one reason for Bayern's decision, as Flick is regarded as the first choice of Bayern's designated chairman Oliver Kahn.
By contrast, Salihamidzic is said to have favored a change in coach, with current Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel being mooted as a potential replacement.
Flick is said to agree with Kahn about the need to select players and coaches that stand for the club's philosophy. The former German national assistant coach announced that new recruits would have to pass a character test to see if they meet his expectations.
"It is important for a club like Bayern to have a head coach who considers the story behind the club," Kahn emphasized, adding that Flick is the best choice as he understands the club's soul. "He played in our shirt, he was an assistant coach and now is our long-term head coach."
As a Bayern player between 1985 and 1990, Flick won four Bundesliga titles and one German Cup, and was a member of the team that reached the 1987 European Cup final.
After Germany's 2014 FIFA World Cup win, Flick took over as the German association's sporting director and then joined Bayern in summer 2019.
The appointment of the former midfielder might influence Bayern's transfer policy. Flick is said to oppose any move to bring Manchester City star Leroy Sane to the club, instead favoring the signing of Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz and Leipzig striker Timo Werner.
Pundits say it will not be easy for Salihamidzic to splash out over 100 million euro for Sane, with reports suggesting that Bayern passed on a December 2019 deadline to sign the forward.
Flick is said to be counting on Bayern's established cornerstones, such as Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Thiago Alcantara, David Alaba, and Joshua Kimmich, as well as exciting rookie Alphonso Davies.
The Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper wrote that Flick wields significant influence within the club, and can count on the steadfast support of the majority of Bayern's squad. Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who is stepping down at the end of 2021, has praised Flick's empathic and tactical qualities, having led the side back to success.
