Bayern unhappy with injured Manuel Neuer

Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn, sporting director Hasan Salihamidžic and team coach Julian Nagelsmann have all criticized injured captain Manuel Neuer for publicly expressing his disappointment with the club. The dispute centers on Bayern’s decision to fire goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic on Jan. 23 due to what Salihamidžic said were “differences over the ways and means of working together”. The firing was described by Neuer as “the worst thing I’ve experienced in my career” during an interview that appeared in the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and The Athletic website Friday. Kahn told news agency DPA that Neuer’s comments do “neither justice to him as captain nor the values of Bayern” and he criticized the goalkeeper for their timing “ahead of very important games.” Salihamidžic accused Neuer of “putting his personal interests above those of the club”, while Nagelsmann on Sunday referred to Kahn’s statement and added his own criticism of Neuer. “From Manuel’s perspective, I wouldn’t have given the interview, especially when he says in the same interview that the club is the priority. It doesn’t help calm things down,” said Nagelsmann. Tapalovic, who joined Bayern with Neuer from Schalke in 2011, did not get on with Nagelsmann, who must now contend with an openly unhappy goalkeeper – and possibly more. Kicker magazine reported Sunday that several team colleagues had expressed their solidarity with Neuer.