Herbert Hainer: 'You wear tradition under your shirt'

After FC Bayern’s legendary Montagskickers (‘Monday players’) had finished their morning session, a special lunch was on the agenda this week. Despite his busy schedule over the previous days – Friday’s basketball game against Alba Berlin at the SAP Garden, Saturday’s home match against Heidenheim at the Allianz Arena, and Sunday’s Women’s Champions League match in Barcelona – president Herbert Hainer stopped by to chat with the members of the German record champions’ storied team about the past, present and future. “Among others, Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have played for the Montagskicker, and what defines our club is that we are a family,” Hainer said in his welcome remarks. “For us, it’s not just about the pros in the spotlight – the ‘Mokis’ are an important part of our club. I’m happy to be here with you.”

The 20 dedicated players in attendance – including new ‘Moki’ president Markus Hörwick, ex-FCB player Norbert Janzon, former vice president Bernd Rauch, former administrative advisory board chairman Eckhart Müller-Heydenreich, long-time youth director Werner Kern, former assistant coach Michael Henke, writer Prof. Dr. Helmut Zöpfl and Zlatan Čajkovski, son of legendary FCB coach “Tschick” Čajkovski – eagerly asked questions.

Super league, Sportpark Unterhaching & Vincent Kompany

For example, when the question arose as to whether the Super League was truly off the table, the president once again reiterated the club’s stance: “FC Bayern was the first to take a clear stand against it, even before the Premier League, and nothing has changed in that regard.” The ‘Mokis’ were also interested in the background to the acquisition of the Sportpark Unterhaching stadium (Hainer: “This marks a new era for our successful women’s team”), the finances (Hainer: “We aren’t dependent on an investor and enjoy this freedom; we have to be grateful to Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeneß, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Karl Hopfner for laying the club’s foundations”), and the work of head coach Vincent Kompany (Hainer: “A humble person who puts himself at the service of the club”). Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid, had told Hainer over lunch ahead of the Champions League quarter-final clash that when it comes to “benchmarks for his own club, he looks to only one other club – and that is FC Bayern.” 

As well as that anecdote, there was also applause for Müller-Heydenreich and Werner Fuchs, who, at 91 and 90 years old respectively, are still on the ball for the ‘Mokis’ during their weekly training sessions at the FC Bayern Campus. There are currently around 45 members of the group, which was founded in 1973, with about 15 actively playing. Hörwick took over the presidency this year from honorary council member Reinhard Böker. Under his leadership, lunches with special guests are to take place more regularly. “The ‘Mokis’ are part of FC Bayern’s history,” Hainer said in his farewell remarks, “Tradition doesn’t belong in a museum – you wear it under your shirt.”