27 April 2009
by Jerrad Peters
Klinsmann fired
Bayern Munich sacked head coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Monday morning, ending the 44-year-old's nine-month tenure at the Bavarian giants. Jup Heyneckes has been installed as caretaker manager and will be assisted by Hermann Gerland in the final five rounds of the schedule.
Saturday's 1-0 loss at home to Schalke was the final straw for Bayern's board of directors. And after a four-week pursuit of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, they cut Klinsmann loose without a permanent successor waiting in the wings. Heyneckes, 63, managed the club from 1987 to 1991 but is not expected to stay on beyond next month.
After breaking the news to Klinsmann, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed his disappointment with the season so far and admitted that recent results—including a drubbing at the hands of Barcelona in the Champions' League—had forced him to make the coaching change.
"With Jupp Heyneckes and Hermann Gerland," he added, "we have two experienced coaches to whom we have handed management of the team until the end of the season."
Klinsmann's assistant coaches—Martin Vasquez and Nick Theslof—were also released on Monday.
Although a permanent replacement won't be named until June or July, Bayern are thought to have narrowed their list down to two candidates. The first is Wenger, who was initially offered Klinsmann's job in early April. The Frenchman was keen to see out the season at Arsenal, however, and will open the seminal round of the Champions' League at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
If the Gunners are eliminated from the competition, it will mark a fourth consecutive season without a trophy at the club and likely spell the end of Wenger's 13-year tenure in North London.
Bayern's backup option is Martin Jol. The Dutchman has resurrected his career since a disappointing exit from Tottenham Hotspur last season and has guided Hamburg to the final four of the UEFA Cup. His side are also within a shout of the Bundesliga title. After 29 rounds, Hamburg are level with Bayern on 54 points, just three points back of leaders Wolfsburg.
Giggs wins PFA gong
Ryan Giggs has been named Player of the Year by members of the Professional Footballers Association. The 35-year-old Manchester United winger beat out rival candidates Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Edwin Van der Sar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard for the prize. Ronaldo had claimed the award in each of the past two seasons.
Despite being named the PFA Young Player of the Year on two occasions (1992 and 1993), Giggs never won the senior gong until this season, his 19th in professional football. Ironically, the Manchester United winger's three goals in 40 appearances this term represents his lowest tally since scoring once in two matches as a 17-year-old in 1991. As such, the prize is more a lifetime achievement award than anything else.
That said, Giggs has adjusted his game to his accommodate his declining pace. He has often played a central midfield role this season, using his vision and passing ability to pick out teammates on the fly. That versatility, as much as anything else, is why his peers tabbed him as the top player in English football for 2008-09.
Getafe sacks Munoz
Victor Munoz became the fourth manager to exit Getafe since 2005 when the Madrid club relieved him of his duties on Monday. Munoz joins Quique Sanchez Flores, Bernd Schuster and Michael Laudrup as former head coaches of the Azulones. He replaced Laudrupp after the Dane offered his resignation in 2008.
Getafe's 2-1 loss at home to Villarreal on Sunday was their third defeat on the bounce and left them in 17th place after the weekend's matches. They are just a single point above Sporting Gijon and a point adrift of 16th-place Espanyol.
It is believed that Schuster will return to Coliseum Alfonso Perez in the summer. He was sacked by Real Madrid in December and enjoyed two successful seasons at Getafe before quitting to join the Meringues.
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