On 17 May, Bayern Munich reached a pivotal moment when head coach Thomas Tuchel announced at his pre-match press conference against Hoffenheim that he had not reached a new retention agreement with the club, meaning he would leave the club at the end of the season.
According to New England Sport, the main disagreement between Tuchel and Bayern Munich is over the issue of annual salary. Tuchel is currently on an annual salary of €12 million, while he has made a salary request of €18 million to the club, meaning he wants a salary increase of up to 50 per cent. For Bayern, Tuchel's 11-game winning streak in the Bundesliga came to an abrupt end after Tuchel took over, and his demand for a salary increase was somewhat difficult for the club to accept!
Tuchel's statement was succinct but firm, and there was an inevitable resoluteness in his words: "This is my last press conference at Sebena [Bayern headquarters], we talked but there was no agreement, so the decision in February (to leave at the end of the season) is still valid, I would love to stay, unfortunately we disagree on the details of the contract!
The news of Tuchel's departure immediately sparked heated discussions among the media and fans. Some analysts believe that the reason why Tuchel is asking for such a high annual salary is because he believes he can help the team win more trophies next season. Although Bayern Munich missed out on the Bundesliga title this season, Tuchel's coaching ability has been widely recognised as a former Champions League winner. As a result, he believes that he deserves a higher salary.
The issue of pay has always been one of the most sensitive topics in professional sports. For the club, paying a high salary is not only a recognition of the coach's ability, but also an investment in the achievements and impact it brings. However, whether such an investment is reasonable and whether it will deliver the expected returns is a question that the club's management must weigh.
Indeed, the news of Thomas Tuchel's departure has also exposed some of the problems that are common to European football. As the sport continues to grow, so does the salary level of players and coaches. Although this reflects the commercial value and social impact of football, excessive salary levels may also put pressure on the financial situation of the club, and even affect the healthy development of the entire football ecosystem.