Jupp Heynckes
Pep Guardiola has a tough act to follow.
The new Bayern Munich manager succeeds Jupp Heynckes, who claimed the Bundesliga, DfB Pokal and UEFA Champions League titles in 2012-13, bringing an historic treble home to Allianz Arena.
Of course, Guardiola won 14 titles in four years in charge of Barcelona, so will be hopeful of coping with the pressure.
However, Heynckes, forced into retirement upon Guardiola’s appointment, knows that he has the pick of any club in Europe after a phenomenally successful final season in Bavaria, and would be a great choice for Barcelona.
After spells in charge of Athletic Bilbao, CD Tenerife and Real Madrid, he is a confident Spanish speaker and a brilliant exponent of the modern game – as illustrated by his Bayern Munich side’s 7-0 thrashing of Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
However, Heynckes may not have the appetite for one final challenge.
“After everything that’s happened over the past two years, I’m ready for some peace and quiet,” he told German publication Der Spiegel.
“After this string of successes, I could transfer to just about any club in Europe. I have a problem with the finality of saying “never.” But I can assure you that I have no intention of coaching again.
“I had a worthy ending.”
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