Günter Netzer playing for Bayern – surely unthinkable, right? But the legendary playmaker was once much closer to a move to Munich than previously thought. To mark the club’s 125th anniversary, Netzer himself reveals the story to members’ magazine ‘51’, as well as what continues to fascinate him about Bayern now.
Before I come to the subject of 125 years of Bayern, I actually want to tell a little anecdote that wasn’t previously known. When I joined Real Madrid from Mönchengladbach in 1973, I got a phone call from Bayern general manager Robert Schwan. He was in Madrid and asked if we could meet up. I drove to the Ritz hotel, still one of the best hotels in Madrid. It was summer, 40 degrees, and I was wearing some casual clothes. They immediately threw me out the lobby. You could only come in wearing a suit jacket, or even better a tie. Schwan arranged for suitable clothes and then got down to business. “We want to sign you,” he said. I almost fell off my chair. “Are you serious? You had 10 years to sign me from Gladbach. And I want to remind you that I’ve only been at Real for four weeks. I can’t just bugger off now.” Ultimately, it was the venerable Santiago Bernabeu who had the final say: “I’d prefer Netzer sitting alongside me watching our games for the three years of his contract.”
I don’t have any regrets, but obviously wearing the Bayern shirt would’ve been a dream. I had my little kingdom at Gladbach. I was in good hands, but we all admired Bayern as well. Whether it would’ve worked out for me in Munich is another matter. I once heard that the president at the time, Wilhelm Neudecker, didn't like my long hair. In Gladbach, too, they often said I was too extreme - thank God I hit the ball well, otherwise they would’ve sent me packing for my antics.
Bayern has undergone a development that is unrivalled in world football over these 125 years. It is undoubtedly one of the three biggest clubs in football history. The success story has continued for generations and is still characterised today by figures such as Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Consistency is the secret. Bayern has been the best-managed club in Germany for decades; there is hardly anything comparable in world football. In addition, this club has never lost its desire to always strive for the best.
‘Mia san mia’ is a statement that expresses self-confidence and self-assurance. And, more importantly, it's not just any old slogan or empty phrase. No, the Bavarians live it. Anyone can come up with clever slogans. The important thing is to put them into practice. Otherwise it's all meaningless chatter, smoke and mirrors. I think it's fantastic that Bayern has managed to internalise its ‘Mia san mia’ over such a long period of time. The character of Bayern is ‘Mia san mia’, no ifs and buts.
Bayern has laid the foundations for future generations, which can and must always be used as a guide. Nobody can predict the future, especially not in the fast-moving world of football. But if Bayern continues to live and breathe what has characterised it for decades, it will always remain a force to be reckoned with. The spirit that prevails at Säbener Straße, which has made this club great, can still be felt today, and I see nothing that makes me believe that it will evaporate. I hope that German football can continue to be proud of its flagship. This club is a gift for the Bundesliga and for all football fans, rivalry or not. I hope that Bayern stays the way it is. There is no reason to turn anything upside down. Bayern has always been at the cutting edge. Even 125 years after it was founded. Congratulations!
This text appeared in members’ magazine ‘51’
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