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Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeneß has openly contradicted sporting director Max Eberl’s description of how Vincent Kompany came to be appointed as the club’s new manager.

Following Thomas Tuchel’s departure in the summer of 2024, Bayern faced multiple rejections from potential candidates such as Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick, and Oliver Glasner. Eventually, the relatively inexperienced Vincent Kompany emerged as a key contender for the role. In an interview with Der Spiegel, Hoeneß outlined the internal decision-making process and credited Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for initiating the decisive move.

“Then Karl-Heinz had the brilliant idea of asking Pep Guardiola,” Hoeneß explained. However, Eberl presented a slightly different version during an appearance on ZDF’s Aktuelles Sportstudio at the end of April. According to Eberl, it was his suggestion to contact former Bayern coach Pep Guardiola for insights on his former protégé, Kompany. “When the question came up about whether we were sure, I told Kalle: ‘You’re close to Pep—call him and ask what he thinks of Vincent.’ That talk made the difference, and soon after, we signed Kompany,” Eberl had said then.

Hoeneß also claimed that Eberl originally wanted to retain Thomas Tuchel for another season even after a campaign without trophies. “Initially, Max Eberl wanted to give Thomas Tuchel one more year. Karl-Heinz, Herbert Hainer, and I stopped that,” said the 74-year-old president. He further added, “It’s easy to say now, ‘He found the right manager.’ But before that, he would have signed Tuchel. Then we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

In response to Hoeneß’s comments, Eberl told reporters, “I found it very surprising.”

These remarks from Hoeneß, which surfaced on the day Bayern defeated VfB Stuttgart 3–0 in the DFB Cup final, created quite a stir. The long-serving club figure acknowledged having “doubts” about continuing his collaboration with Eberl. While Eberl’s current contract runs until 2027, Hoeneß said the chances of an extension were “60-40 at the moment – that’s my honest opinion. Anyone who knows me knows that. That’s where things stand, and in two to three months we’ll see how it develops.”

Eberl admitted that the timing of Hoeneß’s remarks caught him off guard. Speaking to Sky after the Berlin final, he said, “I also found it very surprising. I just want to keep doing my job and let my work speak for itself. What we’ve achieved as a team this season is something to be proud of. It’s fair if people have doubts; that’s legitimate. We’ll discuss it when the time comes.”

Addressing speculation over his position, Eberl added, “I don’t really care right now. You’d have to ask Uli why he has doubts. I can’t explain it. He said it, and the figures are out there. At the moment, I’m focused on our success—we’ve had a great season, winning the double. That’s what matters.”

Eberl took over as Bayern’s sporting director in March 2024. Any decision regarding a contract extension is expected to be made during the club’s supervisory board meeting in August.

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