Bayern Munich head coach Jupp Heynckes (l.) is a long-time admirer of Thomas Tuchel's (r.) work. - © © imago / Jan Huebner
Bayern Munich head coach Jupp Heynckes (l.) is a long-time admirer of Thomas Tuchel's (r.) work. - © © imago / Jan Huebner

Jupp Heynckes: "Thomas Tuchel has the quality to coach Bayern Munich"

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Jupp Heynckes believes former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel has the right blend of qualities to succeed him as Bayern Munich head coach in the summer.

Heynckes, 72, came out of retirement to coach Bayern on an interim basis until the end of the current campaign, following the dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti in October.

Tuchel has been out of work since stepping down at Dortmund in the wake of their 2017 DFB Cup final win against Eintracht Frankfurt last May. The 44-year-old previously took Mainz into Europe for the first time in their history.

"Thomas Tuchel has the quality to coach Bayern." Heynckes told SPORT BILD on Wednesday. "He progressed through the youth teams at Mainz. That's the path to success that you must take, learning the right approach and people skills.

"Under Tuchel, Borussia Dortmund played excellent football with a good system - all the modern footballing elements that are prevalent today were plain to see. Tuchel's team finished runners-up, won the DFB Cup and played attractive football. I enjoyed watching BVB, that's why I respect and rate him as a very good coach. Dortmund aren't as good a footballing side now as they were under Tuchel."

- © gettyimages

Heynckes, who oversaw a Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB Cup treble in 2012/13, is enjoying his fourth stint at the Bayern helm.

Reports in Germany claim Bayern intend to name Heynckes' successor by the end of March.

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