"I've been away a while, but I'm back," a beaming Niko Kovac declared at his first press conference as FC Bayern coach. The Croat wore the FCB shirt from 2001 to 2003 and will now lead the German record champions from the dugout. "I'm looking forward to the task ahead, and I'm glad FC Bayern have decided to appoint me as coach. I hope I can repay the club," added the 46-year-old.
On Monday Kovac finally starts work with the team, and the former Croatia international has ambitious goals. "We have to get to the required fitness level, improve in terms of technique and tactics and perhaps bed in an additional system. There's lot of work ahead," declared the coach, who wants to "get to know each and everyone here" in the first few days.
„"I know what makes this place tick"”
Niko Kovac
The new boss understands Bayern very well from his time as a pro at the Säbener Strasse. "I know what makes this place tick and that you have to be successful. The coaching staff and I are prepared for it. We know what we have to do," insisted Kovac, who aims to "improve the team in every respect. If we succeed we can perhaps clinch one or two trophies."
Hasan Salihamidzic is similarly confident ahead of the new season. "We want to pick up where we left off, which is why we've signed such a good coach. We have a great squad with healthy competition," said the sporting director.
Looking forward to the work
Kovac and Salihamidzic know each other very well from their joint days out on the pitch at Bayern. "We were friends back then and that's still the case. We've always stayed in touch," Salihamidzic revealed. After hanging up his boots, Kovac turned to coaching with spells at RB Salzburg, the Croatia national team and Eintracht Frankfurt before returning to Munich. What can the fans and officials expect from him?
"I lead from the front, I like to work, I set examples of the things I want to see, and I expect others to follow suit," the new coach explained, making a very confident impression. His smile did not disappear once in the course of the entire press conference. Kovac is raring to go at Bayern and can hardly wait for the action to start.
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