Will Niko Kovac (l.) make Thomas Müller (r.) his captain when he takes charge at Bayern Munich in July? - © © imago / Jan Huebner
Will Niko Kovac (l.) make Thomas Müller (r.) his captain when he takes charge at Bayern Munich in July? - © © imago / Jan Huebner

How will Bayern Munich line up with Niko Kovac as coach?

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Bayern Munich have moved quickly to appoint the retiring Jupp Heynckes' successor in the Allianz Arena dugout, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Niko Kovac bound for Bavaria in the summer.

Heynckes, who guided Bayern to a record sixth consecutive Bundesliga Meisterschale, will be a tough act to follow. But after taking Frankfurt into Europe on the back of lifting the DFB Cup at his future employer's expense, Kovac - at 46, 27 years Heynckes' junior - has already proven to be a coach of quite some acclaim himself.

- © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

How will Bayern line up with Kovac at the helm? bundesliga.com takes a closer look…

A Bundesliga and DFB Cup double winner with Bayern as a midfielder in 2003, Kovac was Croatia manager as recently as 2015 before taking up the reins at the Commerzbank-Arena. After an 11th place finish last term, Frankfurt flirted with the top four before ranking eighth in 2017/18; and it is this period of his coaching career that is perhaps most instructive as to how Kovac’s Bayern might line up.

- © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

A back three is the first cornerstone, and one that represents a significant departure from what Bayern are used to. David Abraham, the tallest of Die Adler's defenders at 6’2”, provides the height in Frankfurt's box, with the pacier Carlos Salcedo - when he is fit - among those patrolling the channels.

In front of the defence, Makoto Hasebe - despite his 34 years - is Kovac’s preferred choice to drop into a back four when his side are defending, still mobile enough to play between the lines, and best able to distribute out from the back.

Watch: A tactical look at what has given the Eagles wings this season, courtesy of Tifo Football

Further forward, Eintracht were shrewd in the transfer market last summer. Kevin-Prince Boateng's career was drifting before he arrived, the midfielder not even commanding a fee after leaving Las Palmas. The former Ghana international has been Kovac’s most used outfield player in 2017/18, though, winning a challenge inside every seven minutes he has played and chipping in with six goals and an assist.

Kovac's side may appear to be wingless wonders, but he is more than happy to use natural wide men in beside the 31-year-old Boateng. Mijat Gacinovic and Marius Wolf have enjoyed 50 games between them, combining for five goals and ten assists. Robbery may not have their limelight stolen quite yet…

Even playing as two centre-backs in a back four this season, Boateng has managed to tee up 12 shots on the opposition goal with raking balls from deep (two of which were scored). Hummels, meanwhile, has a 90 percent pass completion, despite playing 141 long balls. Imagine what they could do with an extra man marker doing the dirty work next to them?

Bayern have an embarrassment of riches in midfield, meanwhile, but James Rodriguez has undoubtedly been the centre of gravity in a galaxy of stars, playing deeper and more centrally than he did at Real Madrid. With a direct hand in a goal every 83 minutes he has played, the Colombian's place in the side is assured.

Watch: How James Rodriguez makes Bayern tick!

Who will keep James company? If Leon Goretzka – soon to arrive from Schalke – has any worries about joining a squad that already boasts Arturo Vidal, Thiago Alcantara and Corentin Tolisso, he could do worse than looking to Jerome's brother Kevin-Prince's experience under Kovac at Eintracht… although he might find Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Kingsley Coman keen to join the party in the middle of the park.

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