Lifetime achievement award for Heynckes
Former Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes was honoured with a lifetime achievement award by the German FA (DFB) on Monday night. "Jupp Heynckes has made a lasting impression on German football for decades as a player and as a coach. His unique success in the Bundesliga and abroad speaks for itself but, on top of that, it characterises the way he has dealt with it," declared DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach. Heynckes, who celebrates his 70th birthday on 9 May, crowned his career as a coach by winning the treble in his final season at FC Bayern two years ago. Heynckes served three terms as the FCB coach (1987-91, 2009, 2011-13) and was also in the managerial hot seat at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid, Benfica and Schalke 04.
A round dozen stand firm
Storm front Niklas took a firm grip on Munich on Tuesday. A large number of stalls on Viktualienmarkt shut up shop, the Hellabrunn zoo was closed and the S-Bahn light rapid transit system ground to a halt - but FC Bayern stood up to the elements on the training ground. A dozen players put in a shift in the stormy conditions in the afternoon including Thiago on his way back to full fitness. Pep Guardiola gave the players who have just returned from international duty the day off with Mehdi Benatia the only one back on the training ground.
Hashemian and Frings earn coaching badges
Hats off to Vahid Hashemian and Torsten Frings: the former FCB pros received their top-level coaching badges at the Hennes Weisweiler Academy on Monday night. The course lasted ten months and Hashemian completed a placement under Pep Guardiola at the Säbener Strasse facility during that time. Course leader Frank Wormuth presented all 24 participants on the course with their elite level coaching qualification, the DFB equivalent to the UEFA pro licence.