Jupp Heynckes is back for his fourth stint at Bayern Munich, coming out of retirement and returning until the end of the season. Heynckes led the Bavarians to their first European treble in 2012-13.
Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon/F. Hoermann
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Jupp Heynckes has agreed to come out of retirement to take over Bayern Munich for a fourth spell in charge, the German champions confirmed on Friday.
Heynckes, who led Bayern to a historic treble in 2012-13 in his third spell in charge, has a signed a contract with the Bavarian club until June 2018. He will be joined in Munich by assistant Peter Hermann after second division side Fortuna Düsseldorf agreed to release their assistant coach.
"There is a great deal of trust between Jupp Heynckes and FC Bayern," said chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in an official statement. "We are extremely grateful to Jupp for agreeing to accept the role of head coach. He is the ideal coach for FC Bayern at this moment in time."
Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic added: "Jupp Heynckes is a master of man-management and tactics. We are convinced that he is absolutely the right man to lead the team to success again in the current situation."
Heynckes himself, who retired after Bayern's 2013 treble win, said Bayern Munich have a "special place in my heart" and revealed he would not have come out of retirement for any other club.
President Uli Hoeness (r) has got his man. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (l) is said to have favored Thomas Tuchel.Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon/F. Hoermann
"My coaching team and I will now do everything we can to ensure that the team can provide the supporters with successful football. I can't wait to get started."
The 72-year-old will take charge of training on Monday and will take his place on the Bayern bench when the defending Bundesliga champions host Freiburg on October 14.
Germany's legendary World Cup-winning captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer told Bild that he was "surprised that Jupp is taking this gamble" but "the more I think about it, the more I am pleased about his return."
Beckenbauer, who is currently Bayern's honorary president despite being embroiled in corruption allegations regarding the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany, added: "I believe he can handle the situation. One thing is clear – the team now have to show character and can't hide behind the coach any longer."
Der Kaiser: Beckenbauer (right) has welcomed the appointment of Heynckes (left)Image: dapd
Speaking in Belfast after Germany's 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland, national team coach Joachim Löw opined: "[Heynckes] is an incredibly experienced coach who has a great aura," before joking that "if he comes back any more times then he might end up being my successor!"
Defender Jerome Boateng, who was part of Heynckes' last Bayern team, said before confirmation of the appointment that there is "no better solution. He knows the club and the players inside out. He is a great coach with a great personal touch and lots of experience."
Interestingly, Boateng also added that Heynckes "will get on well with the bosses" – a veiled reference to Rummenigge and club president Uli Hoeness, who were split over the issue of Carlo Ancelotti's successor. While Rummenigge favored former Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, Hoeness is said to have favored the option of a short-term appointment before making a move for highly rated Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann in the summer.
Tuchel himself took to Twitter to congratulate Heynckes, writing: "I wish you all the best, dear Jupp! #Legend"
Hoffenheim deny Nagelsmann rumors
Hoffenheim's sporting director Alexander Rosen has dismissed any suggestion of Nagelsmann joining Bayern.
"There has been no approach from Bayern Munich," he told Hoffenheim's internal media channels. "They have not approached me, our board or [club patron] Dietmar Hopp. It is pure speculation which has been copied and distributed, but that does not make it a fact. It's simply not an issue for us."
Rosen also had warm words for Heynckes, saying: "The man is a living legend. One of the most successful coaches in the history of football."
Jupp Heynckes: Portrait of a legend
As a player, Jupp Heynckes celebrated his greatest successes with Borussia Mönchengladbach. As a coach, he achieved a treble at Bayern Munich. In retirement, the 75-year-old has grown critical of football.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Mr. Treble
Nothing else left to win! Bayern Munich's 2013 treble was the greatest achievement in the club's illustrious history, and perhaps in Jupp Heynckes' career too as they won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Goodbye football (for now)!
One, two, three - and out! After winning the treble, the then 68-year-old Heynckes hung up his coaching boots. "I want to have some privacy for the time being," he said. "I want to enjoy my life and I don't intend to coach again."
Image: Reuters
Goalscorer
In his heyday in the 70s, Heynckes (second from right) was one of Germany's most prolific strikers. His goals fired Borussia Mönchengladbach to four Bundesliga titles, the German Cup and the UEFA Cup. He also won the Bundesliga golden boot twice.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
World and European champion
Heynckes had international success, too. He won the European Championship in 1972 followed by the World Cup in 1974 in West Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Coaching success
Heynckes took on his first coaching role with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1979 and took over at Bayern Munich for the first time in 1989, winning the Bundesliga in his first two seasons.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Friendship
Heynckes was dismissed by Bayern in 1991, a decision which club president Uli Hoeness, then team manager, later called "the biggest mistake" of his career. Since then, the two men have been bound by a deep friendship and Heynckes has responded to Hoeness' call on more than one occasion.
Image: picture alliance/Sven Simon
Fired as a champion
Heynckes won his first international title as a coach with Real Madrid in 1998 when he led the Spanish giants to Champions League glory, beating Juventus 1-0 in the final. Despite the triumph, "Donn Jupp" was still sacked.
Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon
European champion again
After a short spell as caretaker coach in 2009 between Jürgen Klinsmann and Louis van Gaal, Heynckes took over Bayern Munich again on a permament basis in 2011. Two years later, he lifted the Champions League trophy for a second time after his team beat Borussia Dortmund in an all-German final at Wembley.
Image: Getty Images
Flying high
In the 2013 German Cup final, coach Jupp Heynckes led Bayern Munich to a 3-2 win over Stuttgart to seal an historic treble. It was clear then the players knew who to thank for masterminding their success.
Image: Reuters
Over 1,000 Bundesliga matches
Heynckes has experienced more Bavarian beer showers than most - here being soaked by Anatoli Timoschtschuk. In Bayern's all-conquering treble season in 2012-13, he broke the magic 1,000 mark for Bundesliga appearances as both player and coach.
Image: Getty Images
FIFA World Coach of the Year
After winning the treble with Bayern and going into what turned out to be a temporary retirement, Heynckes was crowned FIFA World Coach of the Year 2013. And you'd be hard pressed to find someone who thought it wasn't well deserved.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
One last hurrah
Heynckes came back for his fourth stint at Bayern Munich when Carlo Ancelotti was sacked early in the 2017-18 season. Although Bayern lost in Europe in the semifinals and were surprisingly beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final, Heynckes secured yet another Bundesliga title. Uli Hoeness wanted him to stay, but Heynckes retired properly this time, waving goodbye one last time.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Warmuth
Heynckes critical in retirement
Heynckes turned 75 in 2020 and in his retirement has become more outspoken. He admitted he has thought about joining a climate change protest, that he hopes for more solidarity in light of the coronavirus and that it's time football moved away from buying star players, saying the development in football had become "immoral."
