If you were able to travel back in time to May 2019 and ask Hans-Dieter Flick whether he thought he stood a chance of being the Bayern Munich head coach on a three-year deal, in just 12 short months? He would have said no, and that’s a fact. The 55-year-old has overcome significant obstacles to be in the position he is in, but my goodness has he grabbed it with both hands.
Indeed, getting the Bayern Munich gig is without a doubt the most coveted job in German football but once you have it, you need to perform. But even that is not enough sometimes, Niko Kovac got the bullet when he was just four points adrift of the league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach in November 2019. Needless to say, there’s always pressure when you step into the hot seat at the Allianz Arena.
Getting Bundesliga ready!
Our first training session at the #FCBayernCampus ?♂⚽ #MiaSanMia #FCUFCB #FCBayern pic.twitter.com/ukZYmuS1yE
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) May 11, 2020
Although it seems that Flick is immune to it, having sailed into the job and not looked back. As it stands, Bayern are four points clear at the summit of the Bundesliga, and pretty much in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after annihilating a hapless Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg tie.
Now, if we were to have a look at the Bundesliga betting odds from Betfair, we’ll see the Bavarians at a mere 2/9 to win their eighth league title in a row. By way of comparison, the nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund are at 6/1 to spoil the Bayern party.
Amazingly, RB Leipzig who are just five points off the lead are at an enormous 19/1, so you do get the feeling that this is Bayern’s title to lose. But are the odds actually stacked against Hans-Dieter Flick and his Bayern Munich side?
When you consider that all the momentum that the Bavarians had is now gone and that they will have to begin from a standing start again as the rest of the league, you can all of a sudden easily envision a scenario where Bayern are the victims of circumstance. What punters should keep in mind is that those 2/9 odds are based on Bayern’s performances before the league was briefly halted. Most of their rivals have players now back from injury and have had time to reset.
See you soon ? pic.twitter.com/v90jlFGatp
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 14, 2020
It actually feels like the playing fields are as level as they have ever been in the Bundesliga and even Borussia Mönchengladbach, who are six points off the lead and at odds of 20/1 will fancy themselves in a straight sprint to the end.
Hans-Dieter Flick looks a cool customer and has done terrifically well up until now but he will have to adapt his management, and possibly even his footballing philosophy if they are to hang on to what they hold; a slender four-point lead.
In the blink of an eye, the 55-year-old now has three hopeful teams in his rear-view mirror who will know that it is not a case of stamina anymore but rather who is the quickest out of the blocks. This could be one of the most thrilling title races we have seen for many a moon in the Bundesliga.
